


I'm Not the Devil, But I Won't Be Your Hero

by ShawneeXSavage



Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2018-05-23
Packaged: 2018-05-31 12:44:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 78,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6470449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShawneeXSavage/pseuds/ShawneeXSavage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, the past isn't trying to haunt you. Sometimes, it's trying to help you.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been bouncing around in my head for years. Finally got the balls to write about it. Constructive criticism is always welcomed.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, the past isn't trying to haunt you. Sometimes, it's trying to help you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea has been bouncing around in my head for years. Finally got the balls to write about it.

**November 2nd, 1983**

The flames were beautiful, twisting and turning, spiraling out of the windows and through the doors. People lined the streets, looking up at what once signified normalcy for a family. But, now that’s all changed. Vengeance filled the heart of the man, his dark watery eyes taking in the lapping flames. Beside him, a small boy, no older than four, looked on along side his father, a small bundle in his arms. The world stood still for those two, their lives taking a dark and twisted turn, that would forever change the fate of humanity. But, they didn’t know that.

Two sets of yellow eyes watched the scene unfold from across the street, staying hidden in the shadows. One set was older, eyes creased as something evil lurked behind the orbs, darkness swirling in the irises. The owner of the eyes watched with a sort of mischievous glee, like a cat who had finally caught the mouse.

“He’s the one.” A deep southern twang rolled out past thin lips, a grin pulling across a rugged face. “He’s going to be the _perfect_ soldier.” Rumbling developed in the chest of the man, before it broke free, laughter echoing into the night. The second set of flaxen eyes scrunched up, displeasure dancing across. A young girl, around the age of what appeared to be four or five scowled up at the man.

“Him? He’s just a baby! There’s no way that he’s the one.” She scoffed, staring at the group that climbed into a classic black car. She was so engrossed in the _supposed_ chosen one, that she wasn’t prepared for the blow that knocked her back several feet. As she hit the ground, her lungs burned from the air that was forcefully knocked out of her, tears forming in her eyes as a deep set pain spread throughout her abdomen. The man glared down at her, lips pulled in a straight line, before he cast his gaze to the car the tore out of the neighborhood.

“Do not speak of things that you do not know, _child_. He will be able to do things that will help release Lucifer from his cage. Things that _you_ aren’t able too.” He gave one more withering look to the child who was slowly picking herself off the mossy floor, before turning away and stepping back into the shadows.

“Come. You need to be prepared.” The small girl struggled to her knees, sucking in a deep breath of cold air, before pushing herself up and standing beside the man, head hanging low. She studied her ratty tennis shoes, the Velcro straps slowly peeling off. The man glanced down at the child, letting out a sigh as he gently grabbed the child’s chin, pulling her golden gaze to his.

“This humanity that you have? You need to let _that go_.” He stressed the last two words, staring deeply into the child’s eyes. “You need to be focused on the task at hand. You need to be a strong, powerful soldier, a servant, for when ‘our’ Father breaks out of that cage.” The man released the girl’s chin, placing his large hand atop her head, digging his fingers gently into her soft hair.

The small girl leaned into his touch slightly, a small sigh passing her lips as she looked up at the man lovingly.

“ _Yes, Father_.”

**Sometime in 1992**

She was never one for following rules. Maybe that’s why he hated her so much. Blood dribbled out of her nose and down her chin, as she braced herself on all fours. God, getting punched in the face never got any easier. It still took her by surprise every time, and still hurt like a bitch. Two dirty boots came into her line of vision, startling her from the inner monologue in her mind. She swallowed, a thick lump forming in her throat as she pushed herself onto her knees, still not making eye contact with the owner of the boots. She could feel the hateful glare on her, burning into her forehead.

“You’re pathetic.” She flinched slightly. Any normal person wouldn’t have noticed it, but then again, the thing in front of her was _far from normal_. She kept her mind blank, or as blank as she could. The lyrics of some grungy rock song filtered through her head, masking what she really thought and felt. She learned a long time ago not to let her real emotions show. They were weak, and usually led to a beating that she would rather avoid all together.

She rocked back onto her heels, knees cracking as she stood slowly. She continued to stare ahead, eyes only reaching the figure’s chest, not traveling any higher than. At least, not to her own accord. Rough hands reached out and snatched her chin, gripping tightly and yanking her head up at break-neck speeds. Her honey brown eyes met fierce yellow eyes, blazing with hatred. A snarl pulled across the rugged face, stark white teeth contrasting against the tan skin.

“After all of these years, all the training, all the time I _spent on you_ , you’re still as weak as ever.” His voice was nothing but a growl, and he dug his nails into her cheek. She stared at the salvia strand that formed between his top and bottom teeth as he spoke, keeping her face void of any emotion. That didn’t stop the clenching of her heart, or the rolling in her stomach. It didn’t stop the cold wash that ran through her body, the deep ache in her chest. She thought that she would grow accustom to the verbal and emotional onslaught that came from this man, this _monster_ , but it still stung , all the same.

“You’re supposed to be the perfect soldier, the perfect vessel! You were supposed to be the one that was going to take over the mantle when Lucifer got out, but look at you. All that, that _humanity_ that you just won’t let go!” He started off calm, he always did. But, by the end of the sentence he was screaming at her, little drops of salvia sprinkling her tanned face. He released her chin, tossing her head to the side, stalking back and forth like a predator that was about to go in for the kill. She stood stock still, like the good little solider she was _supposed_ to be.

“I should’ve known better. You humans are finicky creatures, relying on your emotions too much.” He murmured to himself, eyes still set on her. “I was hoping you’d turn out different than the rest. That maybe actually having my essence would override that damn humanity that your whore of a mother instilled in you.” Her breath hitched, eyes narrowing slightly. She hated how he talked about her mother, not that she was much of a mother, anyway. He killed her the minute she came out of the womb, stole her in the middle of the night. Hell, she didn’t even know what she looked like. She could only assume she shared some of the traits with her human mother, maybe her dark chocolate hair, and her honey brown eyes.

She hated how much she actually shared with her father, though. Her quick temper, her harsh words, her _willingness_ to appease someone who didn’t deserve it, and her _true_ eyes. Those eyes that would haunt the dreams of so many innocent people, the sickeningly bright yellow eyes. She learned a long time ago how to mask them, to make her appear normal to those who didn’t really know what was out there in the world. She also shared his unnatural ability to break into people’s minds. She knew how to delve into the deep recess of people’s minds, to pick and to pull at their memories, to alter what they think, or what they believe. She was truly gifted in her unnatural ability, not that it made her father happy. Oh no, he would never be happy. Because, she wasn’t _him_.

 _The true vessel_.

She didn’t hate him, no. In fact, she was quite envious of him, held him on a pedestal. That’s what she was supposed to be. The perfect little vessel, hell, that’s why her name is what it is. Her father tried so hard to create, _to mold_ , the perfect vessel for Lucifer when he was finally released, but she wasn’t it. And, so her father hated her for it. And, that affected her more than it should have. Because, she hated the man, and the man hated her. But, there was that _pull_ , that sense of longing, of wanting to be good enough for him, _to make him proud_.

She scowled, shutting her mind down, and putting that barrier back up. She should’ve quit trying a long time ago. He continued to stare her down, like he was about to devour her alive. He looked her up and down, his yellow eyes leaving scorch marks across her body. His posture changed almost instantly when he reached her face, her _true_ eyes. She hadn’t even realized that they broke free, but she could feel the power pulling within her body, wanting to break free. His shoulders slouched, his back curved, and a large grin spreading across his face, before his laughter echoed throughout the empty field. Birds took off from the trees they were in at the sudden noise.

“You’re such a disappointment, but then I get a glimpse of what you _could be_. Such a fierce creature. You have no idea how much power you hold, child. And, I’m going to rip every last bit of humanity that you have left in you. We’ll get you there, don’t worry. I’m not quite through with you yet.” Her golden eyes stared into his, before her courage wavered and she averted them to his adam’s apple, bobbing in his throat. She took a deep breath, before walking up to the man, the dried blood on her face making her hardened look even more severe.

“Yes, Father.”

Such a good little solder, _indeed_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

**May 2nd, 2007**

She was mad. Scratch that, she was beyond mad, she was _furious_. It wasn’t supposed to happen like that. She stood in the graveyard, looking at the carnage that was left behind. She could feel the darkness, the shift in the air from the gates of Hell being opened. No, it definitely was not supposed to happen like that. Dean Winchester was not supposed to kill her father.

 _She was_.

She gritted her teeth, her true eyes breaking free from behind their barrier as she glared at the gates in front of her. The energy in her body was pulling and recoiling, and in a fit of rage, she released it. Animals scattered as the immense power washed over the graveyard, carrying a sense of dread and paranoia with it. It’s a good thing that the hunters were gone, because anyone within a 5-mile radius of her would’ve felt that energy wave. The feeling someone gets in their gut when they know something is wrong, but they can’t quite put their finger on it. Demonic energy tended to do that to people.

She exhaled slowly, her eyes fading back to honey brown as she reeled her power back in. Okay, so, new plan. She had been keeping her eye out on the Winchesters, ever since that fateful night twenty-four years ago. Even after she broke free from her father’s tyranny, she still watched. She couldn’t help it, she felt guilty for them. If she would’ve been the perfect vessel, if she just would’ve been _good enou_ -

She shook her head, pushing her father’s voice out of her head. Even after the bastard was dead and gone, he still managed to torment her psyche. She glanced at where the vessel of her father used to be. The hunters were smart enough to remove the dead bodies and salt and burn them. No need in drawing more unwanted attention than there already was. Hell, they had enough to deal with, what with hundreds of demons escaping Hell, they didn’t need a murder investigation piled on top of it.

She carded her slender fingers through her dark hair, picking and pulling at the nests that formed around the base of her neck, making her way down to the ends, that fell just to the tops of her ribs. She had a lot that she had to re-work now, considering that the Winchesters royally fucked things up. How was she supposed to keep Dean’s soul out of Hell? It’s not like she had a lot of pull down there, shit, half of them didn’t even know that she existed. Her father wasn’t too keen in letting his followers know that he had failed, and that’s exactly what she was. One. Big. Failure.

She scowled to herself, shutting off the self-deprecating side to her brain. She’d have plenty of time to do that later. Right now, she needed to figure out how to overcome this massive hurtle that were known as the Winchester brothers. She glanced up at the darkened sky, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

She had a lot of work to do.

**September 18th, 2008**

When she heard the cry, she stopped in her tracks on the busy sidewalk, causing a bunch of disgruntled moans and gentle shoves coming from the passerbys surrounding her. But, she didn’t care, she heard it, much like every other supernatural or semi-supernatural creature that roamed the Earth. That voice that broke through the ground, shook the Earth to its core, and reverberated into the heavens.

 _ **Dean Winchester is saved**_.

Her breath hitched in her throat, as she stared ahead, the world around her slowing down as those words replayed themselves over and over again. He had been saved. Pulled from the depths of Hell. Her throat tightened slightly when she realized that there was only one race that had that kind of power.

 _Angels_.

She groaned, and continued walking down the sidewalk again, head low and eyes averted. Of course, why _wouldn’t_ the angels be interested in the Winchesters, they basically had a large target on their backs for all of the world to see. She dipped into a small coffee shop, a headache growing from the lack of caffeine in her system. As she stood in line, she contemplated on what she was supposed to do. She spent the last year doing her best to keep Dean’s soul out of Hell, and she failed. She had no idea that Lilith, her father’s partner in crime, was going to pop up and make things a helluva lot harder for her. Once her appearance was known, she had to back out almost immediately. Lilith knew about her, and that was one demon she did not feel like getting into the crosshairs with. When Dean was dragged down four months ago, she did her best to snoop and see what was happening in hell. Thanks to her father’s demonic blood running through her veins, she had a secret tap into the frequency that demon’s ran on. She could pick up bits and pieces that were being broadcasted from Hell, but anything that was involving Dean Winchester was kept on lockdown, the silence deafening.

“Hi there! What can I get you?” A voice shook her out of her reverie, and she glanced up at the young teenager behind the counter, green apron draped over a white collared shirt, and black visor resting on top of unruly blonde hair. She smiled slightly, before relaying her go-to order, a tall salted caramel iced coffee. The cashier rang up the order, before glancing back up at her and giving her a half smile.

“That’ll be $4.95, ma’am.” She smiled at the boy, before her eyes flashed yellow and she stared deep into his blue orbs. His eyes glazed over, a fictitious scene playing in his mind, of her scrounging around for money, handing him some bills and a few coins, and her receiving a receipt. In a flash, is eyes focused back onto her honey brown ones, a small smile pulling at her lips.

“Thank you, it’ll be up momentarily.” He turned around to grab a cup, before he stopped himself, staring at his hands, before he looked up at her quizzically. “I’m sorry, what was the name for this?” She smiled at him, her pearly, almost straight teeth, glistening in the fluorescent lights.

“The name is Keila. K-E-I-L-A.” He nodded his head, before scribbling her name haphazardly on the cup, before handing it to the barista behind him. Keila stepped to the side, her train of thought going back to the crisis that was at hand. From what she heard down below, when her mind tapped into Hell’s signal, something big was going to happen. Though it wasn’t clear on what that exactly was, Hell was in a tizzy, and that caused enough concern for her. Despite how she was raised and who her father was, Keila wanted to make sure that she was on the right side of whatever was about to go down. Even though her soul was dirty and tarnished, there still was a smidgen of hope that maybe, just maybe…

Hearing her name called out, she grabbed her drink, thanked the barista, and made her way back out onto the busy streets. Shutting out the hustle and bustle of the scenery around her, Keila tapped into the demonic frequency that buzzed through her mind, trying to pinpoint where the risen Winchester was. A constant, dull buzz reverberated through her head, the demon radio pinging off left ad right. There was a lot of whispering, a lot of fear, and a lot of annoyance. But, she managed to zero in on one lowly demon, and got the information that she needed. She meandered her way back to her parked car, a 2007 crimson Dodge Challenger. She slid into the car, the black leather seats burning her back and thighs through her clothes. She cranked the beauty, listening to the purr of the engine as it came to life. Pulling her aviators from the middle cup holder, she pushed them up the bridge of her nose and behind her ears, untangling her wavy hair from the metal arms. She leaned back in the seat, closing her eyes, before exhaling slowly, and putting the car into drive. It’d be a while before she reached her destination.

Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Present**

Maybe she didn’t think this through. She sat in her car, pulled off on the side of the road, staring at the rusted sign that hung over the dirt road that led to Bobby Singer’s house. She took her sweet time traveling towards her destination, because, dammit, she still hadn’t figured out how she was going to talk to the hunters. The five plus hours in the car still hadn’t given her any idea on how she was supposed to approach the situation. What was she supposed to do, just tell them the truth?

“Yeah, that’ll work, Keila. ‘Hi, my name is Keila and my father single-handedly ruined your lives. Also, I may or may not have played a part in that as well. But, don’t worry, I’ve changed. Also, no grudges for killing the bastard.” She gave herself a sarcastic smile in the rearview mirror before scoffing and pulling her aviators off, pinching the bridge of her nose.

She had no idea what she was supposed to do. Any lie that she thought of telling them, quickly fell through the cracks in her mind. They were hunters, they were obnoxiously paranoid, and would pick apart any story that she could plausibly think of. She pressed her forehead against the black leather steering wheel, breathing out a sigh as she stared at her denim clad thighs.

 _Fuck_.

She closed her eyes, letting them dart back and forth behind her eyelids as she tried to think of a plan. Maybe, just maybe what if she did tell them the truth? Only, a slight variance of it? Leave out the parts that would get a bullet in her chest, but stick to the real deal. That way, she wouldn’t have a story to keep up, and wouldn’t have to keep her lies in order. Damn, maybe the bastard was right. Maybe she did have too much humanity in her…

She banged her head against the steering wheel softly! _FOCUS_! Okay, so back to the story. The truth was the best bet, but she needed to figure out how to leave out the parts about her father, her origins, and that little black stain that marked her. Her eyes snapped open and her head shot up, yellow irises flashing momentarily.

 _That’s it_.

Oh, she was a genius. An absolute _genius_. She could just tell them that she was part of Azazel’s little army. That she had the same fate as the Winchesters. Dead mom, asshole dad, and a power that shouldn’t have been bestowed upon her. Technically, _it was true_ , it’s just that she was kind of in on the whole thing of what her father was doing. But honestly, they didn’t need to know _that_. She still valued her life, at the moment. If she ever had a death wish, she knew exactly what to say.

She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat, a large and deep sigh rattling out from her lungs. Now came the part that she dreaded the most. She had to somehow earn their trust. Getting hunters to trust someone, especially when it’s a complete stranger, was about as successful as cornering a wild dog. It almost always ended in violence. She also had to mentally prepare herself for the onslaught of tests she would need to go through if she _did_ manage to get them to hear her out. The silver knife she could handle, it’s the holy water that was going to suck. Since she wasn’t a _full-fledged_ demon, she wouldn’t have the same intense reaction that they did, but it wouldn’t be pleasant. Her father ran her through the tests _numerous_ times, dropping her off at churches, ranting and raving to the priests that his _poor daughter was possessed_ , and prayed that they exorcised her.

She grimaced at the memories of being tied up, holy water poured down her throat, a dull ache rose in her belly at the memory. She also remembered the splitting migraines she would get as the Latin words poured over her. It was never enough to pull the demonic energy out of her, because it _was_ her. She didn’t die, or sell her soul, she was born, _created_ with it inside her blood. All it did was give her the symptoms of a very nasty hangover. Which, by now, she was used too, and could cover them up easily.

Most people didn’t live through what she has without a little help along the way.

She dropped her head to her chest, sighing again. _Damn_ , she could really use some liquid courage right about now. She threw her hand haphazardly down beside her, her fingers blindly probing until they found the small square package. She plucked it up, quick fingers pulling back the paper fold and pulling a single aluminum covered stick out, before unwrapping it, crumpling up the shiny wrapper, and tossing it out of her open window. She popped the gum in her mouth, chewing slowly as the minty taste filled her mouth, swirling around in her salvia.

She placed her hand on the key that stuck out of the ignition, it stayed frozen there for a good five minutes, before she got the courage to crank the car and bring the engine roaring back to life. Placing the car in drive, she slowly made her way across the street and up the dirt road of the salvage yard, that housed probably two of the most dangerous men in the game. She stopped her car at the small opening between the stacked junkers, and turned it around, so that it was facing the way that she just came. If shit went down, she wanted to make sure that she had a clear route to get the hell out.

She held her breath as she turned the car off, gripping the handle for dear life before she pushed the door open and slowly made her way up to the run down house. Her creased leather boots squeaked as she walked up the steps to the front door. She rapped on the door, loud enough for whoever was inside to hear, but not loud enough to sound like she was a threat. Her white knuckles lowered, as she slowly exhaled the breath that she had been holding the entire time. There was a very good chance that she could die right here on this front porch, and that thought _terrified her_.

Her brain was telling her to get the hell out of there, her primal instincts kicking in. Before her body had a chance to react to her brains warning, the door swung open, an older man with short brown hair, a graying beard and goatee, and a baseball cap glared at her from across the doorway. Behind him, was a younger man, who looked like he had just crawled out of hell. She fought the urge to smile, because that’s literally what he had just done.

“Who’re you?” The older man questioned, eyes steeled on her, never wavering. If she hadn’t grown up used to these stares, Keila would’ve folded right then and there, tucking her tail between her legs and hightailing it out of there. However, she had her mind made up, and continued to stare at the older man’s nose, never looking into his dark eyes. She slowly raised both of her hands, a sign that she wasn’t here to start any trouble.

“I know that you don’t know me, but I know about you, and I need your help.” Her voice was calm, her words slow and drawn out, the small southern accent that she had drawing out certain syllables. She internally winced at what she just said. Damn, she sounded just like a stalker. _Way to start off the conversation_ , she berated herself. She could see the guard go up in both men’s eyes, and she knew that she had a lot of work to do to make up for her loose footing on the conversation already.

She dropped her hands back to her sides slowly, her right hand gripping the dark denim that wrapped her legs, as she let out another sigh, glancing over the shoulder of the older man and quickly scanning the handsome man that stood behind him. For someone who had just spent forty years in Hell, the man looked good. She gave them both a weak smile, before staring back at the older man’s nose.

“Okay, I know that came out weird, but hear me out, alright? I…I know about you. The Winchesters, right? Y’all are something of the proverbial legends in the hunting community. Story has it that y’all closed one of the gates to Hell, and well, that y’all might have some information that may be able to help me out.” She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth as she averted her gaze to the bookshelf behind both men, looking at the vast knowledge that lined the shelves.

The younger man shifted behind the older one, slowly walking into her line of sight. He stared her down, emerald eyes shining with such intensity, she reverted her gaze to his lips. She was never good with looking people in the eye, she would avoid it at all cost. She’d rather stare at their nose, their lips, anywhere but their eyes. It scared her, really. Looking into someone’s eyes gave them the ability to look into their soul, and she wasn’t sure she wanted these hunters to see that. The only time that she really looked into someone’s eyes was when she was about to use her powers, and she had no intentions on using them on these two. They could probably break out of her grasp in an instant, and she’d be dead before she could blink.

“What’ve you heard?” She watched his lips as he spoke, deep voice echoing throughout the silent house. She glanced up to his nose, before she spoke.

“Y’all closed one of the gates of Hell. S’pretty big accomplishment if ya ask me.” She wasn’t going to mention the fact that she _knew_ they were also the ones to cause it to open. Details, details. “I also heard that one of y’all had a run in with a demon, gave ya some hoodoo magic. That’s what I need help with.” Her accent was growing stronger the more she spoke. Though the men in front of her didn’t know it, it was a clear sign that she was scared. When she was in control of her emotions, her voice reflected it. Calm, cool, and collected, only a faint hint of her accent could be heard. But, now? Her roots were showing, and that was not something that she wanted.

She should’ve expected what happened next, really, she should have. Why did she think that mentioning the younger Winchester brother, the one that the man in front of her had _sold his soul_ to save, was a good idea? In the blink of an eye, a body was pushed, a gun was grabbed, and the end of a shotgun was pressed into her sternum. Wild forest eyes glared into her honey ones. The resounding ‘ _click_ ’ of the hammer swam in her ears as a snarl pulled across the man’s handsome face.

“Where’d you hear that from?” Jesus, did he actually _growl_ at her? Hell, that’s what it sounded like when he spoke to her, the cold, double barrel, pressing harshly into her tan skin. She kept her appearance calm, while inside she was mildly freaking out. She really should have expected this. She was stupid to think that she could just walk up to these men and they just welcome her with open arms.

 _Idiot_.

“Cause, it happened to me.” He stared at her hard, finger never wavering from its position over the trigger. She stared over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of the older man moving in her peripheral vision. Great, just great. _He was grabbing reinforcements_. _Just great_. She gathered her resolve, and glanced at the man’s muscular jawline, never taking her eyes off of it as she talked.

“This…this _man_. He came to me, saying that I was somethin’ special, that I had this power inside me, that when unlocked, could help ‘im change the world. And, he said that there were others out there, just like me. That, we were his _children_.” She hoped that this would help throw Dean off of her trail. Because, technically what she had said was _true_.

There was a man, _her father_ , that said that she had a strong power in her, _which he basically ingrained into her DNA_ , and there were others out there, _she was there when he had chosen them_ , and they were going to change the world, _if it hadn’t had been for the man standing in front of her_.

She held her breath as she saw the wheel’s turning in the hunter’s head. She watched his tan brow crease, a small droplet of sweat rolling down from his cropped dirty blonde hair, along his temple, and tapering off and down his neck. She could see the muscles clenching in his jaw, before the barrel of the shotgun was pulled away abruptly.

“Did this man have yellow eyes?” She swallowed hard, looking down at his adam’s apple as it bobbed in his throat, before glancing to the side and seeing the older man in the baseball cap loosen his grip on the knife in his hand ever so slightly.

“Yes, sir.” She hadn’t meant for that to happen, but the way he held himself, his resolute steel, the way his eyes bore into someone when he talked, the way he held his body, it all screamed respect. And, she’d been conditioned to give respect to those who demanded it. And, Dean Winchester demanded it. She didn’t miss the way his body stiffened, and how his eyes gained this faraway look, before they snapped back to her, and he moved his body to the side, arm bracing the door.

“Get in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

Keila didn’t know where to look. The room that she was in, it was something that you would see out of the movies. The old Victorian house was filled with knickknacks and books that ranged from works of fiction, to cult classics, to religious pieces. She looked around the large room that she was all but shoved into, looking at the massive desk that sat over a large exorcism ring that was on the floor. _Nice_. Keila had no problem moving through some of the traps, it just made her body ache, like she ran a marathon.

She purposely walked through the markings on the floor, slow and deliberate, so both hunters saw, as she made her way to the old red couch in front of the large bay windows. She sat down carefully on the couch, hands folded in her lap, as she watched the eldest Winchester brother grab one of the chairs that was in front of the massive desk, spinning it around so that it was in front of her, before throwing his legs over the side, arms leaning over the back of the chair as he faced her. His face was hard, lips in a straight line as he looked over her.

She could hear the other hunter moving around in the kitchen, and she knew exactly what he was doing. She braced herself when he walked into the room, a glass of water in his hands. He held it out to her, eyes hard as she gingerly took the cup from his hands. She knew better than to turn it down, that would cause suspicion, and they were already on edge with her sitting in the room.

“Thanks.” She was quiet as she took a gulp of the holy water, the liquid scorching her throat and lighting a fire in her belly. But, she maintained her façade, placing the glass on the floor beside her feet. She glanced between the two hunters in front of her, the eldest Winchester directly in front of her, while Bobby Singer sat behind his massive desk, eyes looking up at her from underneath his hat.

“So, uhhh, can y’all help me?” She raised her eyebrow slightly, looking between the hunters. Dean casted his eyes towards the older hunter, a silent conversation happening between the two, before he turned his attention back to the woman in front of him.

“What exactly do you need help with?” Bobby questioned her, his eyes narrowing. She stared above his right shoulder, letting her thoughts bounce around in her head. She needed to word this right, because one slip up could throw up a red flag and she’d be done for. She averted her gaze to the books that were on the shelf on the wall behind the younger hunter.

“I dunno, honestly. I guess, just help me figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do.” She kept her answer pretty vague, hoping that the hunters would take the bait. She didn’t want to get into specifics, because specifics led to the truth, and though she wasn’t technically lying to them, she didn’t need them to try and dig deeper into the situation. _Nosy little bastards_.

“Well, _Honey_ , what you do is ignore what that bastard told you and just go on with your merry little life.” Keila narrowed her eyes at the older Winchester as he spoke to her. _Honey? This guy must think he’s some kind of Casanova._ She scoffed and rolled her eyes, looking back over to Bobby.

“So, that’s it? Just accept that some man, some _monster_ , told me that there’s something inside me, that this life that I was living isn’t what it really seems to be, and just _accept it_? Like, nothing’s happened at all?” Her voice rose slightly as she ended her question, agitation leaking through. Seriously, that was their advice? _Act like nothing happened?_ That was the _worst_ advice that she’s gotten. And, she’s gotten plenty of shit advice in her life.

Dean Winchester just shrugged his shoulders, staring directly into her eyes, or he tried too. She refused to look him in the eyes, and stared adamantly at his nose. This was gonna be harder than she thought. She was sure that they would talk to her, _help her_ , but instead, they just pushed it to the side and told her to go on as if it never occurred?

She grimaced. These hunters were more difficult than she thought. Yeah, talk on the demon radio was that they were stubborn, pain in the asses, but she didn’t think that they would be _this bad_. Besides, all she heard about them was about how selfless they were when it came to saving people, and here she was, looking for some saving, and they weren’t even interested? She felt a little bit hurt, in all honesty. Damn, even her own ruse was _getting to her_.

“You’re kidding right?” Agitation was clear in her voice, her true eyes threatening to show. She stood up abruptly, causing both hunters to shift in a defensive position as she ran a tanned hand through her dark hair, her slender fingers getting tangled it the waves.

“I’ve got this _problem_ , and I was told the Winchesters were the ones to go to when shit hit the fan. And, here I am, shit all over the fuckin’ fan, and you tell me to _go on with my merry little life_? You’re fuckin’ kidding me, right?” Her accent was almost gone now, her anger taking ahold and her voice becoming hard. She stared hard at the book shelf between the two hunters, looking at the worn spines of the books that sat on it. She could see Dean shift in his chair from her peripheral, angling his body more towards her. Hell, maybe she should’ve came straight out and _said it_. That she just wanted to clear her conscience of all the things that her father did to them. That she was atoning for sins, that weren’t even hers to begin with.

“Look, there ain’t nothing that we can do. That bastard that talked to you, spoutin’ bullshit? He’s dead, I ganked him myself. So, the only advice that I have is that you just go back to the life you had, because the one that you’re trying to get into, well, _Honey_ , it ain’t worth it.” Keila clenched her fists as the Winchester spoke, her blood running cold at how carelessly he spoke about killing her father. Then again, he had no idea that Azazel was her father, did he?

“What if the life I had isn’t worth returning to?” She glanced at him, her words a low rumble. Maybe if she tried to pull the sympathy card, that would make the hunter change their mind. It didn’t help that she knew in the back of her mind, that her words weren’t a ploy, but were actually the truth. The look that crossed the hunter’s face, hell it made her think that maybe it was working.

“Who do you think that man was?” She turned and looked towards Bobby’s voice, focusing on him instead of the internal fight that the Winchester was having with himself. She shrugged her shoulders, contemplating her answer. She couldn’t out right say that she knew he was a demon; they’d sniff out her real story in a minute. But, she knew that if she acted she was _completely_ oblivious, she knew that there was no way in hell that she could work with them.

“I dunno who he was, but he wasn’t no human, that’s for sure.” She sighed, walking towards the bookshelf, her back turned towards both the hunters as she ran her fingers across the spines of the books. “Ain’t no human in the world I’ve ever seen with eyes like that.” Which, was true. Because, she herself wasn’t _completely_ human neither. She grabbed a hold of one of the books, pulling it out from its spot ad leafing through the worn pages. She stopped fingering through it when she landed on a name that she was all too familiar with. She glanced over the description that was written on the pages, before gently closing the book, and placing it back in its spot.

 _Her father_.

Who knew that they would have a book on the man that completely ruined their lives? She wondered if they even knew who her father _really was_. That he wasn’t just some lowly demon, that he actually the leader of Hell while Lucifer was locked away.

“What do you mean he ain’t human?” She glanced at Bobby again, a small smile pulling across her lips. She leaned her head towards her right shoulder, her neck popping, as she repeated the process for the other side before speaking.

“There’s so many stories about other things besides us. All these different religions, these different people from these different regions with no influence from an outside source, they all talk about the same thing, in a sense. Which means, there’s gotta be something out there, right? I mean, how else would all of the different people be able to write and describe basically the same thing?” She turned back around and walked back to the couch, the exorcism ring on the floor causing a distinct ache in her legs. She plopped back down on the couch, grabbing the holy water beside her feet and taking a small sip. She had to keep the charade up, especially since she could see that she peaked the hunters interest.

“What do you know?” She glanced at the man in the chair, his forest eyes boring into hers. She stared into them briefly, before turning her gaze to his cupid’s bow above his lip.

“Not much.” _Lie_. “But, after that man with the yellow eyes came to me, I figured I should start looking into some weird shit. The internet is a wonderful place indeed.” She gave him a small smile as she leaned back into the couch, pleased with herself. They bought it. Hook, line, and sinker. She could feel the tension in the air between the two hunters, a silent conversation happening between them, before the older one, stood from behind the desk, walking across the room, hauling the younger one out of the chair, which fell loudly to the floor.

They stalked into the kitchen, closing the sliding doors behind them. Keila smiled to herself. She actually did it! This definitely deserved a celebratory drink when all was said and done. She leaned forward, her elbows on her knees as she tried to listen in on the conversation that was happening in the kitchen.

_“She could help out with what’s been happenin’ with Sam- “_

_“Not gonna happen.”_

_“She could help figure out- “_

_“She’s not going anywhere near my brother.”_

_“BOY. The bastard is dead, but your brother is still sufferin’ from that demon blood that’s inside him…”_

She winced, tuning out of the conversation that the two hunters were having. It still pained her, knowing what her father did, that even though most of his _special children_ were dead, there were still some that were still suffering from what he had done to them. It also made her sick to her stomach, the thought of her father bringing a sharp pang to her chest.

She should hate the man; hell she _did_ hate the man. But, there was still this…this longing that pulled at her. She didn’t miss him, no. At least, she didn’t _think_ that she missed him. But, she couldn’t help the felling that she got when she thought about him. A mixture between hate and love, a complicated emotion that she couldn’t place her finger on. It made her feel disgusting.

She was snapped out of her thought process when the sliding doors opened, the hunters walking back into the room, the elder one with a blank look on his weathered face, while the younger one held a stormy expression on his. Well, someone wasn’t too happy. The Winchester picked up the chair that fell to the floor, setting it back up right. Throwing his long leg back over the chair, he sighed, eyes resting on his arms folding across the back of the chair, before he glanced up at her.

“Well, _Honey_ , get comfy. Cause, we got a lot to talk about.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to sstark2010 for the bookmark!

Keila pulled into the hotel parking lot beside the old worn down truck. She craned her neck and peered through her passenger window as the two hunters hopped out of their own car. Even though they were at some kind of truce, Keila still didn’t feel comfortable enough to ride in the same car as them. Paranoia still gnawed at her conscience, and if shit hit the fan with the hunters, she wanted an escape route. Dean Winchester walked around her Challenger, his eyes silently praising the car, before he stopped by her driver’s door and waited for her to roll down the window.

He leaned slightly into her car once she had the window rolled down, looking at the dark leather seats and nodding to himself, hands laced together as his forearms sat on the lip of where her window was. She leaned back, nimble fingers drumming on the steering wheel, watching his adam’s apple bob up and down as he swallowed.

“Might be best if you wait out here. Not sure how Sammy will take seeing all of us at once.” She nodded her head in understanding, glancing up at the eldest Winchester, before she unbuckled her seatbelt, and fiddled with the knob on her radio. She’d probably flip shit too, if someone she presumed was dead just waltzed back into her life, with someone who apparently was tied to the man that completely destroyed any hopes of their former life. Dean looked her over one last time, before pushing himself off of her car and walking towards the hotel, the older hunter falling in line behind him as they entered.

Keila sighed, pinching the spot between her eyebrows with her middle finger and her thumb, kneading it gently as she laid her head back against the head rest. She was exhausted, her emotions had been through hell over the last twenty-four hours, and it was wearing her down. Though she could go a couple of days without sleep or food, she found that doing that just made her ill as a hornet, and she enjoyed the occasional snooze and nourishment. When her father was training her to be the perfect soldier, he put her through various experiments to see exactly how _long_ she could survive without the common necessities needed for survival.

“Two weeks, three days, fourteen hours, and twenty-six minutes…” She murmured to herself, eyes closed. At least, that’s how long she had lasted before she passed out at the man’s feet. She was sure that she could’ve went longer, but she may have never recovered from it. Even though her father was a vicious tyrant, he wasn’t stupid. And, he saw the potential that his daughter had, so even though that he pushed her to her limits, he made sure that she would always fully recover. _Because, he was a good father like that._

She let out a humorless chuckle as she let her mind wander, contemplating on what was happening up in the hotel room behind her. She could only imagine that it wasn’t too pleasant. She was almost positive that it involved a hunter’s test. Her thought process halted as she saw a small, brunette woman walk out of the hotel, brows knitted together. Keila’s eyes widened as she saw the _true_ eyes of the demon that resided inside the body. Though she couldn’t see the true face of the demon, she could see their real eyes, the tar-like black pits that glistened. That’s how she saw all supernatural creature’s their charade faulting when it came to their eyes.

Keila scrambled out of her car and towards the woman, making sure to suppress her essence and powers as much as possible as she approached the demon. She wasn’t stupid, she knew exactly who this demon was. _Ruby_. Though, this was the first time seeing her in this body, she could still tell that it was the demoness that was _helping_ Sam and Dean before Dean got dragged to Hell. Apparently, she was still hanging around the younger Winchester.

“Hey!” She called out, picking up her pace and jogging towards the demon. Ruby looked up, her soulless eyes staring into Keila’s honey brown ones, and her breath hitched in her throat. Keila came to a stop in front of the woman, staring down at her small stature. Ruby glared up at her, cocking her hip to the side.

“What?” Keila rolled her eyes, why were demons always so _rude_. She probably had enough time to properly question Ruby what she was doing with Sam Winchester, but Keila was growing impatient, and she didn’t want either Winchester to get wind from Ruby that she was being questioned by some woman.

Yellow eyes flashing, a small gasp was heard from Ruby, before her eyes glossed over, black pits pooling to the surface of her meat suit’s sockets. Keila sifted through Ruby’s memories, pulling all memories that held the Winchester’s to the forefront and watching them race through her mind. So, _that’s_ what she was doing with Sam and his power interesting. _Oh_. So, she was doing that too? Well, hell, Keila couldn’t _blame_ the demon. The Winchester’s were both cut from the same cloth, a cloth of pure _sexiness_. After Keila found what she was looking for, she planted false memories into Ruby’s mind, all knowledge of Keila being erased from her mind. As Keila’s eyes transferred back to their honey brown color, she stepped away, scurrying back to her car as the demon regained her consciousness, her eyes glancing around in confusion, before she shrugged her shoulders and made her way to her car.

Keila released the breath she was holding as the demon pulled out of the hotel parking lot, her heart beating in her throat. Even though it hadn’t happened yet, Keila still had a fear that someone would break through false memories and would realize what happened. If that ever happened, well, that would be _awkward_ , to say the least. She slouched back in her seat, attempting to get her heart rate under control. She didn’t know how to feel about the information that she just obtained about the youngest Winchester.

Hell, she didn’t know how she was going to _look at him_ with what she just saw of him. Only downside of being able to sift through people’s memories, she guessed. _All_ their memories were on display; it’s not like she had any idea what they were actually _doing_. At least, she didn’t until now. _Damn, she had no idea a body could move like that…_

A knock on her window shook her out of her reverie, a slight pink tint across her cheeks. She saw Dean Winchester standing there, a look of bemusement on his face, with a body standing behind him. She could only assume who that was. Heat rose up her neck and face again as she thought about the younger Winchester. _Damn, maybe she shouldn’t have looked at those memories_. She grabbed a hold of the door handle, giving Dean a quick look, before pushing the door open. He backed away from the car slowly, allowing space for her to exit her car.

As she stood to her full height, she realized she was a pipsqueak compared to these two giants. She thought that Dean was a giant, but when he stood next to his little brother, _hell_ , they all looked like munchkins compared to this oaf. He was tall, like, _freakishly tall_ , with broad shoulders, a muscular build, and gorgeous hair. She also knew what he looked like _underneath_ his clothes, and she felt slightly pervish.

“Keila, this is my brother, Sam. Sammy, this is Keila. Yellow Eyes fucked with her too.” Keila smiled slightly at how Dean called his brother Sammy. She already knew how much the brother’s cared for one another, it was obvious. Sam gave her an uncomfortable smile, before turning towards his older brother. The way he looked at his brother, it made Keila’s heart flutter, and also caused a deep pain to grow in her chest. She knew she would never experience love like that. Where someone truly cared about someone else, that they would be willing to sell their soul for them. She tried to picture her father doing that, and she couldn’t. The demon would just leave her for dead.

She also felt a strong sense of jealously as she stared at Sam Winchester. He was the _golden_ child to her father, more important than her and any of the other special children that he had. She mentally scolded herself, none of that mattered now. Apparently, the brothers could feel her eyes on them, because both of them looked over at her, Dean glaring at her, while Sam had his eyebrows raised. She shrugged her shoulders uncomfortable before extending her hand out.

“Hey there.” Sam eyed her small hand for a moment, before his large hand engulfed hers. He gave her a firm shake, before dropping his hand back down to his side. He glanced her over, taking in her appearance. He then glanced at the crimson Challenger that was parked behind her. His eyes crinkled slightly as he spoke,

“Nice car you got there.” She glanced over her shoulder, looking at her car. Yeah, it was a nice car. She had to work hard to get the damn thing. Expended a lot of her energy and powers casting the whole dealership in false memories of her test driving the car, signing up for payments, and the false payments that she would be making in the upcoming years. She ended up having a massive migraine for about a week and a bloody nose. But, at least she got the damn car.

“Yeah, I worked hard to get her.” Again, she wasn’t lying, she just wasn’t telling them exactly _how_ she got the car, details that didn’t need to be hashed out. Dean nodded his head approvingly walking around the front of the car, and circling it. Keila smiled to herself, as she watched him. She didn’t know much about cars, but she knew that hers was fully loaded and that it probably sent the man’s heart into a tizzy.

“Dean, what’re we gonna do now?” Dean looked up over the hood of the car and to his baby brother. His eyebrows were furrowed, hands fiddling with something around his neck. Keila narrowed her eyes, staring at it. _Wonder where he got that from_ …

Her thoughts were cut short when a cough sounded from beside her, Bobby Singer walking up to the group. He eyed her warily, before he turned his attention to the two brother. He dug his hands into the front pockets of his worn out blue jeans, tilting his chin up before speaking.

“I got somebody we can go to for answers, on all of this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always welcomed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Ms_Kardec and guest for kudoing this story!

_Well, shit_.

That didn’t go as planned. Keila sat on the hood of her car, head in her hands. She could hear movement coming from the motel room that was behind her, muted voices floating from behind the closed doors. The hunters were talking, some voices raised, some hushed, but all sounding pissed off and confused. She let a deep sigh billow out of her lungs, tapping her right foot against the chipped steps. She felt like _shit_. That poor woman, Pamela Barnes, she could’ve helped her. She _tried_ to help her, but the woman was stubborn, and ignored all pleas, and it got her eyes burned out of head. She was gonna live, but _damn_.

Keila replayed the scene in her mind, going over every miniscule detail. Her heart clenched at the thought of the woman. Keila actually _liked_ her. She was sassy, brash, and over-flowing with sexual confidence, and the way that she made the Winchesters squirm, well it brought a small smile to her lips. That was until Pamela looked at her, her eyes boring deep into her soul, gazing straight through her. She knew. Knew that there was something off about her.

_“You gotta darkness inside of you, sweetheart. And, no matter how hard you try to fight it, it ain’t gonna leave.”_

That caused Keila to have a mini-panic attack, her eyes widening as she glanced at the hunters that surrounded her. She was sure that she was gonna be killed right then and there. But, the smile that broke across Pamela’s face caused her face to contort into confusion, and then it was as if the psychic hadn’t said a thing to her, her attention turning to the eldest Winchester. Keila was sure that she was in for a barrage of questioning after that comment, but no one else mentioned anything about it, and she was thankful for it. They had more important things to worry about, and she was hoping that it would wade into the deep recesses of the hunter’s minds.

She could always try to remove the memories, but she didn’t think her skills were honed well enough for that, yet. Creating false memories, easy. Digging through people’s memories, easy. Completely erasing a memory, or part of a memory, so the person had no idea what actually happened? Well, she didn’t know how well that would work out. She could probably manage, but the fear of it not working overrode her confidence for even trying.

The door behind her creaked upon, heavy footsteps echoing from behind her, before a body bustled past her. She glanced up, to see the older Winchester running a large hand through his short hair. His back was turned towards her, but Keila could still see the tension that he carried in his shoulder. His legs bowed out slightly as he paced in front of her, annoyance clear across his face.

Keila wanted to say something, anything to help the man risen from Hell, but she heard enough stories about the short fuse that he had, so she held her tongue, and just watched him. His full lips pulled into a grimace, as his forest eyes looked up at the sky. Bright blue, with fluffy clouds sprinkled along the vast expanse. She glanced up at the sky as well, and thought back to what they discovered at the séance.

_Angels._

Keila wasn’t as surprised as the others, because she knew that they existed. Why wouldn’t they? If ever other nasty thing that went bump in the night existed, why wouldn’t they? It made sense to her, but apparently the hunters had a hard time wrapping their head around the idea. Which, she guessed, made sense. How could someone, someone like _God,_ allow such evil in the world? She knew what the Bible-thumpers would tell her, but still. It didn’t ease the suffering in the world.

She wasn’t the religious type, she never felt she had the right to be, but that didn’t stop the random times that she prayed, to God, to angels, to whoever the hell would listen to her. It was all in vain, really. She knew that they wouldn’t save her, she was something that they hated, that was the bane of their existence.

It wasn’t her fault, though. _She couldn’t help it. She couldn’t help who her father had been, what he had bestowed upon her_. She always wondered, if she ever died, would she get a chance to go to Heaven? Or, would she be casted straight to Hell? There was a time in her life, that she really considered redemption, when she first left her father. She poured over the Bible, read it from cover to cover, trying to absorb as much information as she could. Tried to see if there was anything that she could do to save her dirty soul. She knew the answer, but she didn’t think that would be enough for someone like her. That saving power was only reserved for humans, _and she wasn’t one of them_. So, she gave up. There’s no saving a soul like hers, hell, it probably wasn’t even worth saving.

She was snapped out of her self-hatred when she felt a body beside her. She looked ahead, and saw that the eldest Winchester was still stalking around the parking lot, kicking at rocks and muttering to himself. So, that narrowed down the choices of who was beside her, and she had a pretty good idea on who it was. She glanced to her side, honey brown eyes taking in the younger Winchester, his strong jawline and gorgeous cheekbones catching in the sunlight. His hazel eyes were squinted slightly, as he watched his older brother. He leaned slightly against her car, arms crossed across his broad chest, his forearms muscles flexing slightly. He never looked at her, even when he spoke.

“So, Yellow Eyes got to you too?” She wondered if they knew who her father actually was, they never called him by name. She had to make sure she watched herself whenever she talked about this topic. She didn’t want to give too much away, and cause suspicion among them. She rolled her shoulders back, her knotted muscles popping along her shoulder blades as she grimaced.

“Yeah. Came to me in a dream and was going on about a bunch of mumbo jumbo. Something inside me, a special army, and a bunch of other shit.” She pushed some of her dark hair behind her ear, turning her face slightly so she could look at the hunter better. “Scared the shit outta me. Made me start thinkin’ that there were other things in the world, ‘sides us.”

He nodded his head slowly, still not looking at her. She noticed his jaw clench slightly, before it relaxed. She was still wary of the Winchesters, and she knew that they were still wary of her. Trust didn’t come easy when you led this type of life. It was always best to keep everyone at an arm’s length, because loved was could be used as leverage. _She was all too aware of that, as was he_. She let out a small sigh, turning so she was staring straight ahead again.

“’m sorry.” It slipped out before she had even realized she said it, and her eyes widened slightly. She glanced over at him, her body tense. He kept staring straight ahead, ignoring her, and her shoulders dropped slightly. Maybe he hadn’t heard her? He angled his face towards her, staring her up and down. She felt exposed as his eyes scanned her face, dropping down, before making their way back up and settling on her eyes. She held her breath, hands knitted together tightly, knuckles whitening.

“Thanks.” His voice was soft as he spoke, eyes turning forwards as he watched his brother. Keila let out the breath that she was holding, tension slipping from her body. She meant it, when she said that she was sorry. She felt responsible for the awful hand that these boys had been dealt in life, and the lives of so many others. She carried the burden of her father’s sins as her own, it gnawing on her like a rabid animal. There wasn’t much that she could do for the other lives that had been affected, seeing as most of them were dead. But, the Winchesters, she felt an unnatural tug to help them, maybe because she witnessed a lot of the horrible things that happened to them. She chewed on her lower lip, biting of small pieces of dried skin, before spitting them out.

Bad habit, she knows. It was one of many that she collected over the years.

A frustrated groan rolled out in front of them as Dean Winchester stalked up to the two of them. Sam raised his eyes at his older brother, while Keila continues to gnaw on her lip, trying to push down the anxious feeling that she got whenever she was in close proximity to the oldest Winchester. This was the man that monsters checked for underneath their bed. This was their _boogeyman_.

“’m hungry.” He grumbled, eyeing his brother, arms crossing in front of his broad chest. Sam chuckled slightly, looking at his brother, before uncrossing his arms and walking towards him. He threw his hands up above his head, stretching his body out like a cat, his shirt riding up slightly, giving Keila a nice view of the dimples that he had on his lower back. Her mind scampered to the memories that she acquired from Ruby and a blush crept up her neck and onto her cheeks.

Dean eyed her for a moment, before turning around and making his way around to where the classic black muscle car was parked. Keila watched as Sam followed closely behind his brother, both seeming to ignore her. Keila leaned back against her front windshield, her elbows falling into the divot where the hood and window met, her legs stretching out in front of her, body stretching slightly. She leaned her head back, feeling her ends of her hair dangling against her bent elbows. She startled when the gruff voice of the eldest Winchester called out to her, his head poking out from inside the Impala.

“You comin’ or not, _Honey_?” A small smile tugged across her full lips as she stood slowly, stretching in the same manner that the younger Winchester had, before she trotted towards the car, before she disappeared into the back seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to MissCamiCam for bookmarking and kudoing this story. I really appreciate your support in it and would love to hear some of your feedback!

Keila tried her best not to let the rumors that surrounded the Winchester brothers affect her view on them. But, dammit all, _they were true_. These two were like walking omens, attracting every single creature that went bump in the night. She thought that the trip to the diner would be at least a _little_ relaxing. Oh, how wrong she was.

She felt them the minute they pulled into the parking lot of the rinky diner, and she urged the brothers to pick another place to eat, but another rumor that surrounded the Winchester brothers was proven true to her then as well. _They were stubborn as hell_.

“What? This place not up to her standards, _Honey_?” She scowled at the older brother, rolling her eyes from the back of the Impala. His younger brother grinned back at her sheepishly, as he pushed his door open, longs legs stretching as he stepped out.

“At least I have fuckin’ standards.” Keila muttered under her breath. Neither brother heard her snarky comment as she climbed out of the back, slamming the door behind her. Dean let out a harsh, “HEY!” As she continued walking towards the diner, muttering something about his ‘Baby’. She rolled her eyes again as Sam held open the diner door for her, her body brushing up against his slightly as she walked past him.

_Men and their cars._

Though her appearance and body appeared lax, Keila was on high alert, eyes darting around, trying to locate the presence that she felt. Her eyes landed on a sweet looking waitress, their eyes meeting briefly. Keila sucked in a breath, her eyes staring deeply into black pools. Well, there’s the source. She glanced around at the patrons, and her eyes widened. _Shit_. Everyone in this diner was a _demon_. Well, besides the brothers.

Speaking of the brothers, Dean was currently oblivious to every person in this joint eyeing them like a piece of meat. He picked a table in the center of the diner, grabbing the menus that were already sitting on the table and perusing the items. _Is he fucking kidding me?_ Keila let out an exasperated sigh, begrudgingly walking over and pulling out a chair, sitting at an unoccupied side of the table.

Sam returned a short time later, relaying what information Bobby had on Pam. She winced as the boys talked, slowly tuning them out and focusing on what was happening around them. She was very aware that almost all eyes were on them, and it put her on edge.

She glanced at her menu, her appetite gone since the minute she walked through the doors of the diner. She eyed the waitress and patrons wearily, bracing herself for the inevitable fight that was about to come. She looked up at the brothers, her eyes pleading with them, hoping that they would see the distress signals that she was firing off at them. Neither one of them looked up from their menus, and she huffed to herself, blowing air from her nostrils.

That caused Dean to look up at her, eyebrows scrunched together, his mouth opening to say something, before the waitress came over Two plates with large slices of pies were placed in front of the two boys. Keila furrowed her brows together, _when the hell did they order_? Dean grinned at her sheepishly, before lifting his fork to dig in. Just as Dean was about to start eating his meal, the demon sat at the only unoccupied chair at the table. Dean snapped his mouth shut, his focus on Keila lost and transfixed on beautiful meat suit in front of him. He gave her an award winning smile, pearly white teeth glistening. Keila missed their brief banter, her body bristling as she saw the other demons slowly circling their table.

“You anglin’ for a tip?” Dean smirked at the waitress, eyeing her upper body. She grinned back at him slyly, before replying.

“I’m sorry, I thought you were looking for us.” Her eyes flickered black and the smirk on Dean’s face fell. Sam stared at the demon waitress, a look of shock slowly crawling across his face. Keila gripped the table, her knuckles turning white. The demon waitress glanced at Sam, smiling slightly, before turning to Keila. Her smile faltered as she stared at the other woman, her brows furrowing slightly. Keila glanced around, watching the other demons reveal their true eyes, and slowly circled the table that they sat at. One of the demons locked the front door, closing off any escape that they had.

The waitress reverted her eyes back to her vessel’s, but Keila could still see the black cess pools that swam beneath the surface. She gritted her teeth as the demon spoke.

“Dean….to Hell and back. Aren’t you a lucky duck?” She grinned at the eldest Winchester, Sam shifted uncomfortable beside Dean, while Keila just stared at her, contemplating on what to do. She zoned out of the conversation that they were having, weighing her options. She could sit here, and hope to God that nothing serious transpired, or, she could use her powers, possibly warranting suspicions from the demons, and _definitely_ from the Winchesters. She bit her lip, waging the silent war inside her head.

“…I like to think it’s because of my perky nipples.” Keila snapped her head over at the eldest Winchester, he was smirking at the demon sitting beside him. What the hell did she miss? Dean continued to stare at the waitress, his smirk slowly falling off his face as she continued to stare, no hint of a smile on her vessel’s face.

“I don’t know. Wasn’t my doing, I don’t know who pulled me out.” His words were sharp as they passed his lips, his glare settling on the demon. Keila glanced between the pair, her fingers twitching slightly from her tight grip on the edge of the table. She was actually pleased that the demons were more focused on the Winchesters than her, but she knew that the one at the table had sensed something about her. She was just hoping that it was too stupid to pinpoint it.

“Really? You don’t.” Skepticism was clear in her voice, staring down her nose at the man.

“No, I don’t.” Her lips gave a small tug to the side before she spoke again.

“Lyin’s a sin, you know.” Dean stared at her hard, his jaw clenching as she glanced over at his younger brother. Sam was giving her a pretty intense glare as well, his lips pursed as he glared at her. She finally casted her eyes on Keila, staring her up and down. Keila kept her expression blank, her eyes boring into the demon’s. She made up her mind on what she was going to do, they were outnumbered right now, and she couldn’t risk anything happening to the brothers. All she had to do wa-

“I’m not lying.” Keila was snapped out of her reverie as the demon focused back on to the hunter, her lips a thin line.

“But, I’d like to find out, So, if you wouldn’t mind enlightening me, _Flo_ …”

“Mind your tone with me, _boy_. I’ll drag you back to hell myself.” The younger Winchester went to rise from her chair, his older brother throwing a hand up quickly. Sam glared at his older brother, but heeded his warning, slowly returning back to his chair, glaring daggers at the demon. The demon glanced over at the younger Winchester, nodding her head as if challenging him to do something in its presence.

Dean cocked his head slightly as he looked at her, grinning slightly.

“No you won’t.”

“No?” She asked amused, tilting her chin up slightly.

“No. Cause, if you were, you’da done it already. The fact is, you don’t know who cut me loose. You’re just as spooked as we are. And, you’re looking for answers.” The demon glanced at the three at the table, her eyes lingering on each of them before Dean spoke again.

“Well, maybe it was some turbo-charged spirit, hm? Or, uhh, Godzilla? Or, some big bad boss demon. I’m guessing that at your paygrade, they don’t tell you squat. Cause, whoever it was, they _want_ me out….and, they’re a lot stronger than _you_.” The demon stared at the hunter, traces of fear etching across the vessel’s face. So, even the demons had no idea what was happening? _Interesting_.

“So, go ahead. Send me back, but don’t come crawling to me when they show up on your front door step with some Vaseline and a firehose.” The demon stared hard at the hunter, mumbling out a half-hearted threat to attempt to scare the brothers. Dean stared hard into her eyes, before leaning forwards ever so slightly and….

Slapping her. _Twice_.

Keila’s jaw dropped open at the brash actions of the hunter. The demon didn’t look phased in the slightest, it’s eyebrows quirking ever so slightly. Her eyes met both the brothers, before turning to Keila and staring at her hard. She glared at her, as Dean called for both of them to stand up. Dean grabbed a crisp ten-dollar bill, throwing it on the table, claiming that it was for the pie. Keila stayed seated for just a moment, staring hard at the demon, before rising from her chair and following the brothers out of the diner.

They were already discussing what happened back there, their bravado faltering now that they were out of the diner. Keila caught only the tail-end of their conversation, Dean making a comment about ‘the smarter brother being back in town’. They all entered the Impala, a tense silence falling between the three of them. Keila glanced between the two brothers, before a pair of forest eyes caught hers in the rearview mirror.

“So, was that your first brush with demons?” She could see his eyes boring into hers, looking for an answer. She made an audible gulp, looking away from his eyes and out the front window of the car.

“First time I knew they were actually demons.” _Lie_. She’d encountered _dozens_ of demons, if anything, she as more of an expert on demons then _they were_. But, they didn’t need to know that. Her answer seemed to appease the hunters, both of the nodding their heads in silent acceptance. Sam turned around, throwing his arm over the back of the seat and looking at her, grinning slightly.

“Well, you handled it pretty well for it being your first time.” She gave him a small smile, a nod in thanks at his words. Dean just rolled his eyes, cranking the car, and putting it into drive.

“Quit flirting.” He mumbled under his breath, peeling out of the diner and back towards Bobby’s house. A small blush crept up Sam’s neck and cheeks as he turned back towards his brother, glaring at him. Keila just leaned back into the warm leather, grinning to herself as she watched the two siblings bicker. She glanced out the window, watching the sky turn from its bright blue to a dusky pink, the sun slowly setting in the horizon. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, gnawing on it slightly.

She knew that what happened at the diner wasn’t only a close call for the Winchesters, but for her as well. She knew that demon back there sensed something about her, and it wouldn’t be long until word spread through the underworld about the girl that’s been seen tagging along with the Winchesters. She had to be prepared for what would happen if they ever stumbled upon a creature that was smart enough to figure out her origins.

She brushed her dark hair off of her shoulder, leaning up slightly so she could flip it behind her shoulder. She was hoping that she wouldn’t have to worry about it in the near future, but the little voice in her head kept on nagging her.

_Nothing is ever simple when the Winchesters are involved._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism and feedback is always welcomed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Sammybee for the bookmark and kudos! I appreciate your support in this story and would love to hear your feedback.

Keila had no idea what she was doing here. Skulking around in the dark, watching from the distance, amber eyes seemingly glowing in the tree line. It reminded her of when she helped her father choose his army, watching families, ruining lives. It sent a familiar shiver up her spine, one that she _did not_ enjoy.

Not in the slightest.

She knew that she should’ve stayed back at the motel, but she couldn’t bring herself to stay behind while _all_ the hunters went off. She knew that something was up when the youngest Winchester slipped out of the motel room, his light footsteps rousing her from her sleep in the backseat of her Charger. She peered at him through her tinted windows, watching him move stealthily through the parking lot, before he disappeared into the black muscle car and peeled out of the area. She had a strong urge to follow the younger Winchester, but she didn’t.

She was glad that she fought the urge, because what was happening in front of her was _so much more interesting_. After a deafening screech echoed throughout the motel, windows shaking and walls quaking, the other two hunters piled in Bobby’s car and took off. She couldn’t help but follow them. She had a hunch on what the hunters were going to do. Besides, she couldn’t help herself. She was _curious_.

“Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back.” She muttered to herself, as she made her way towards the old, rundown building. She silently cursed to herself, noting that the building had no windows, and only one-way in. Well, _that was a bummer_. She moved along the tree line, circling around behind the building, before she darted across the dirt field. She slowed as she approached the building, and gently pressed her body up against the cool dented metal that made up the back wall. She pressed her ear to it, the voiced from inside ringing clear.

“You sure you did the ritual right?” Keila could hear the gruff voice of the elder Winchester question. It was quiet for a few moments, before a sheepish ‘sorry’ was heard, followed by a sarcastic ‘touchy touchy, huh?’ She grinned to herself slightly, wishing she could see what was actually happening inside the building. She figured her best bet was to stay undetected from the hunters. She had heard the lie that they told the other young hunter, and she figured that they wouldn’t be too keen on her being there either.

A sudden loud rattling from the roof caused her to spring back from the building and look up. Her eyes were wide, gold flashing in the dark at what she saw. A large black vortex began to pool over the building, the sky streaking with lightening. The wind began to pick up, whipping around her body, forming a mini-cyclone around the building that held the hunters. Keila dropped to her stomach, her hands covering her head as it picked up, loud thunder crackling above her, lightening illuminating the midnight sky.

She couldn’t hear much with the wind howling around her, but she heard the crackle of electricity and the shattering of glass, before gunshots filled the torrent air. She gasped as she looked up, eyes wide. She scurried from her spot on the ground and dove around to the side of the building, where the wooden doors had been forced in. She glanced around the edge, barely peering into the building. She bit her bottom lip to stop the gasp that was about to escape.

She could barely see the shocked expressions of the hunters, another body blocking her view of them. The white walls with the various markings and symbols on them were faded in the background as she focused on the tall figure that stood in the middle of the building. Her golden eyes were wide as she stared at the being before them. On the outside, it just appeared to be a normal being, but what _she_ saw, it was beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

What looked like a cerulean mist circled around the man, pulling and pushing against his skin, flaring out at his joints slightly. Though she couldn’t see his face, she knew that his eyes were probably burning with his energy trying to pull out of his body. She had _never_ seen this type of power. Even her father didn’t have this much power within him.

“Who are you?” She pulled her gaze away from the celestial being, and tried to look at Dean. Unfortunately, the hinges of the door were in her way, so she couldn’t get a clear shot of the hunter. She could only imagine that his expression matched the same one that Bobby wore. One of pure confusion and worry.

“I am the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition.” The angel turned as he spoke to the hunter, his voice deep and raw. Keila’s mouth dropped slightly, her breath catching in her throat as she saw the angel’s profile. _Good Jesus, his eyes!_ They were a bright blue, basically glowing in the darkness of the building. She glanced at his tense body and jaw, shoulders slightly hunched over, tan trench coat brushing against his dark, suit clad calves.

“Yeah, thanks for that.” A flash of silver flashed from her peripheral, before a sickening ‘ _squelch_ ’ entered her ears. She brought her tanned hand up to her mouth, covering her shocked expression as the angel glanced down at the silver knife that was sticking out of left pectoral, where his heart should have been. He placed his large hand over the handle, pulling it out effortlessly, dropping it to the dirty floor.

He steeled his gaze at the hunter in front of him, before quickly throwing his arm up, catching the crow bar that was being thrown by the other hunter behind him. A look of pure shock crossed Bobby’s features as the angel turned towards him, staring him directly in the eyes, before pressing two fingers to the older man’s forehead. The hunter’s eyes rolled back into his head, before crumpling to the ground with a gentle ‘ _thud_ ’. The angel glanced over his shoulder, barely catching Keila’s golden eyes. He furrowed his brow slightly, flexing his fingers at his side, before turning back to Dean Winchester.

Keila attempted rise from her position, but her palms glued to the dirt floor. Panic coursed through her body as she struggled to move, but it was like she was frozen, her body not moving a single inch. She glanced up at the celestial being, her pupils blown wide with fear.

“We need to talk, Dean.” The angel glanced down at the hunter on the ground, then cast his gaze back towards Keila frozen behind the door.

Keila watched in fear as she saw Dean rush into her line of vision, crouching down in front of the collapsed hunter. His face was creased with worry as the angel walked towards a desk, covered with books, before he began thumbing through the pages of one.

“Your friend’s alive.” The angel murmured, uninterested in the welfare of the hunter on the ground. Dean glared up at the angel, a scowl on his handsome face.

“Who are you?” The angel didn’t even turn to face the hunter as he spoke, still engrossed in the book that was on the table.

“Castiel.”

“I figured that much, I mean what are you?” Dean’s voice was hard as he continued to glare at the angel. Castiel looked up from the book, his cerulean eyes glowing. Keila held in the gasp as she finally got a clear shot of the vessel’s face. His dark cropped hair was sticking up all over his head, his pale lips large, his upper and lower appearing to be almost the same size. His brows furrowed together, glancing at the hunter, then the half-demon that was frozen on all fours out of the hunter’s line of sight.

“I’m an angel of the Lord.” Keila could hear the slight pride in the angel’s gravelly voice as he spoke. The silence was tense after Castiel spoke, a staring match happening between him and Dean. Dean never took his eyes off of the angel as he slowly stood from his crouched position besides Bobby’s body, making his way towards Castiel.

“Get the hell outta here. There’s no such thing.” Keila couldn’t help but roll her eyes as Dean spoke. She understood where he was coming from, really she did. How could someone like _God_ let so much evil in the world? But, she also wasn’t stupid. If vampires, werewolves, ghosts, ghouls, _demons_ , if they all existed, then why shouldn’t _angels_? Castiel turned to face Dean, a small smirk tugging at the edge of his full lips.

“This is your problem, Dean. You have no faith.” Suddenly, thunder cracked above them, wind whipping around as lightening flashed within the building. Keila’s golden eyes widened as she saw the massive wings stretch from behind the angel, gently flapping. Though to Dean, they appeared to be just shadows, Keila was able to catch a glimpse of what they truly were. Inky black feathers layered over top one another, with an iridescent blue sheen to them. They were massive as well, easily expanding to touch the walls of the building. Castiel glanced over Dean’s shoulders, aqua eyes piercing gold.

“Some angel you are. You burned out that poor woman’s eyes.” Dean’s voice was laced with venom as he spoke, his chin tilted up as he stared down his nose at Castiel. The angel’s shoulders dropped slightly, his head lulling forward before he spoke.

“I warned her not to spy on my true form. I believe _others_ warned her as well.” He cast his eyes in Keila’s direction before speaking again.

“It can be…overwhelming to humans, and so can my real voice. But, you already knew that.” Dean cocked his head to the side slightly, squinting his eyes at the angel.

“You mean the gas station and motel? That was you talking?” Castiel nodded his head slightly, wisps of chocolate hair falling against his tanned forehead.

“Buddy, next time lower the volume.” Castiel pulled his lips in towards his teeth, glancing down slightly. Keila could’ve sworn that a look of embarrassment crossed the angel’s face.

“It was my mistake. Certain people, _special_ people can perceive my true visage, and I thought you would be one of them. I was wrong.”

Keila could see the tension rise in Dean’s shoulders as the angel spoke. His hands curled slowly at his side, clenching and releasing over and over again before he spoke.

“And, what visage are you in now, huh? What, _holy tax accountant_?” Castiel glanced down at his body, hands placed gently over the bullet riddled tan trench coat, pulling at the lapels slightly before speaking.

“This is…a vessel.” He looked up at Dean, whose shoulders only tensed up more, his knees locking him into his bow-legged stance.

“You’re possessing some poor bastard?” The angel looked so _innocent_ as he spoke, not realizing the anger that was rising from the hunter in front of him.

“He’s a devout man, he actually prayed for this.”

“Look pal, I’m not buying what you’re selling, so who are you really?” Castiel’s brows furrowed, his head cocking to the side as he stared at the elder Winchester before him. His glowing eyes caught Keila’s momentarily, before he looked back at Dean, his raw voice echoing throughout the metal building.

“I told you.” Keila could practically _feel_ Dean’s eyes in the back of his head, shoulders rolling slightly. She could see a vein twitch on his neck, slightly glistening with perspiration.

“Right…and, why would an angel rescue me from Hell?” Keila glanced down at her palms glued to the ground, her back slowly starting to ache from being stuck in this position for so long.  She already knew that she would have bruises on her knees from the rocks that continually dug into them.

“Good things do happen, Dean.” Castiel stared at Dean hard, taking in his appearance, his crystal eyes boring into Dean’s emerald eyes.

“Not in my experience.” Dean’s voice was hard, edged with pain. Keila closed her eyes, a familiar tug of pain pulling from her chest. She opened her eyes, staring sorrowfully at Dean’s leather clad back. _It’s all my fault_ … She thought to herself, tears brimming her lower lashes. She blinked slowly, a single drop rolling down her tan cheek, dipping along her neck, down her collar bone, and dying off into the valley between her breasts.

“What’s the matter?” Castiel stared hard at Dean, analyzing the pain that was in his forest eyes. His dark brows raised slightly, his eyes widening as the realization hit him.

“You don’t think you deserve to be saved?” He glanced past Dean’s hard face, looking at Keila. The angel could see the pain in her unnatural golden eyes as well, seeing the glistening trail that ran down her cheek.

“Neither of you do.” His voice was a quiet murmur, but Keila still heard him, her eyes snapping up at the angel. Despite her best effort, she couldn’t look away from him, couldn’t look away from the energy that was pooling behind his eyes. _It was beautiful_.

“Wha…” Dean’s voice trailed off slightly, confused as to what the angel was talking about. Keila held her breath, praying that the hunter wouldn’t turn around, basically catching her eavesdropping on their entire conversation. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw Dean’s shoulders square back ahead, staring the angel down.

“Heh…. why’d you do it?” Castiel stared at Dean, the tip of his pink tongue darting out slowly, brushing across his chapped lips before he spoke.

“Because, God commanded it.” The way he spoke, it sent a shiver of Keila’s spine. This fierce look in his eyes as they bore into the hunters. “Because, we have work for you.” Dean’s head cocked to the side slightly, staring at the angel in front of him. Before Dean even knew what happened, the angel was gone. All that could be heard was a flap of wings and a light rustling of wind.

Keila’s eyes were wide as she saw the angel disappear, a cold jolt running through her body. On the ground, Bobby slowly groaned and rolled over, his face leaning towards Keila. She sucked in a breath and willed her body to move. Thankfully, her body lurched back, her butt landing on the dirty ground, as she quickly scooted away from the opening, away from the prying eyes of the two hunters.  Her knees ached as she quickly turned over, placing her feet beneath her before she took off towards the tree line, dipping a weaving between the branches before she felt that she was a safe distance away from that building and whatever the hell that just happened there.

She placed her hands on her bruised knees, sucking in a lung full of breath, before standing and throwing her head back, blowing it out of her mouth harshly. Her golden eyes stared up through canopy top, watching the stars’ twinkle above her. Her heart was pounding; she could feel the blood rushing through her veins. She placed a hand over her heart, breathing in deeply, before turning on her heel, heading back towards her car that was hidden down a dirt road.

She collided with a hard body, a gasp pushing past her lips as she used both hands to brace herself against the hard wall that she ran into. Her eyes glanced up and widened in fear, her feet quickly pulling her backwards, trying to escape. Two large hands gripped her shoulders tightly and held her in place. She struggled against the hold, until she felt a slight twitch on her shoulder, before her body ceased moving, frozen solid.

Her chest heaved as she breathed heavily, eyes slowly dancing up the figure in front of her before they reached the owner’s. Deep pools of cerulean blue stared down at her, dark brows furrowed slightly. Chocolate hair brushed against a tan forehead, full pink lips parted slightly, as a deep, raspy voice rambled.

“ _What are you_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to A for leaving a comment and a guest for kudoing the story! I really appreciate your support in it, and would love to hear your feedback!

Keila couldn’t think, couldn’t _move_ as the celestial being stared down at her, crystal eyes boring into honey ones. The grip on her shoulders were tight, almost to the point where it hurt, but not quite there. The aching in her legs caused a slight quiver, but whatever the angel had casted over her, Keila couldn’t move even if she tried. Her eyes were wide, irises barely peeking out behind her blown pupils.

_This is it. I’m going to die. I’m actually going to die._

Keila always believed that if she ever faced the threat of death, that she would welcome it with open arms, beckoning it. She’d prayed for it countless times when her father would beat her, _torture her_ , manipulate her to do all the nasty things that she regretted, but now that it was a breath away, _she was terrified_.

The angel in front of her didn’t move, his stoic body an inch away from hers, as he stared her down. His cerulean eyes started at the top of her head, taking in the dark chocolate waves that tumbled down past her shoulders and to the middle of her back. He studied her face carefully, smooth tanned skin, thick dark brows, honey brown eyes surrounded by long lashes, a slightly crooked nose, a small bump in the middle of the bridge, full pink lips, and a prominent jawline.

He eyes continued to move south, taking in her glistening, slender neck, slightly broad shoulders and athletic build. His eyes focused in on her chest, at least that what it looked like to the woman before him. However, he was looking at what was _beneath_ her perky bosom. A glowing vortex that was centered in her body, like a black hole. His eyes furrowed at what he saw.

Every living creature on this planet had a soul, some eternal, some transient. And, each soul started out the same. A beautiful pearl white, unblemished as they resided in heaven, waiting for their vessel to be born. However, due to the Fall of Man, when the souls were placed in their vessels, there color became dimmed, and a slight grayish hue takes over. Each soul different, depending on how the creature leads their life.

Animal souls retained their purity, Hadley ever being splotched with the darkness of the world. Humans varied in different shades of gray, those of faith retaining some of their original pearliness, those who strayed obtaining more dark spots, so on and so forth. There were many who contained dark masses spread throughout their soul, nearly pitch black masses encompassing their soul. The supernatural creatures of this realm, some of them were born without souls, but most of them were humans that chose that path. Those souls carried different colors, red, blue, green, each color pertaining to the line of creature that they were.

But, the soul that the angel was examining now, was something that he’d never seen before. Most souls, when viewed, the dark spots of evil are like stains, that can be washed away when the belief of God is accepted, but this soul, it wasn’t covered in stains. It started out nearly black in the center, before it gradually faded out, from dark gray, to light gray, to off white, to its pearl white color of an untouched soul.

His dark brows furrowed as he looked back at the woman’s terrified eyes. Even though her pupil were large, he could see the unnatural glow of her flaxen eyes, thinly veiled behind simplistic brown. This was not a normal human being. He cocked his head to the side, eyes squinting slightly as he tried to dig into her mind. He was shocked when he felt resistance, a massive wall covered in thick chains barring his entrance. He reeled back, looking down at the woman, his large lips shrinking into a thin line.

“ _What. Are. You?_ ” Keila flinched at his rough voice, as the grip on her shoulders tightened. She looked into his eyes, glowing with immense power. She could feel it crackling beneath his skin, the pale blue coils tugging and pulling against his vessel, the air around them filling with static energy, ready to be expelled at his beck and call. Keila swallowed, her mouth so dry that it felt like her tongue felt like sand paper.

“I’m nothing.” Her voice was weak, tears shining in her eyes as she stared at the powerful being before her. Keila had heard that entire life, it had been ingrained in her since she was a toddler. She was _nothing_. She mattered to no one. _You ain’t nothing, child. Nothing that no one would miss. Not even a blip in this world’s history. You. Are. NOTHING._ Her father’s harsh words bounced around her head as she looked at the angel before her, his brows still drawn together. He released his grip on her shoulders, taking a step back. Keila didn’t know if she was still frozen in place because of him, or because of her own fear, but she didn’t move as the angel studied her.

“You are lying.” It happened so fast, that Keila didn’t even register the hand that was wrapped around her throat, before it was too late. She feebly latched both of her hands on the strong wrist as her eyes bore into the hard eyes of the angel. She didn’t try to pull his hand away, she knew that it would be futile, so her hands just tangled around his wrist, brushing against his bloodied trench coat. His grip on her throat wasn’t too restricting, her breathing ragged, pulling just enough air into her lungs to keep her conscious, but uncomfortable.

He pulled her close to him, until her nose was brushing his. She felt no air coming from him, his body still. His crystal eyes glared into her amber ones, before the grip around her neck tightened ever so slightly. It was only then, that she felt his warm breath break across her skin as he spoke.

“You will not lie to me again. Now, tell me. What are you?” The angel kept her at this uncomfortably close position, his eyes never leaving her. She sucked in a deep breath, squinting her eyes closed. The angel could see the movements underneath her eyes lids, rapidly moving back and forth. When she opened them again, they were a sickening yellow, the brown all but gone from her irises.

“Let me show you.” Her voice was small, but it didn’t waver as she spoke. She lowered one hand from his wrist, raking across his shoulder and down his other arm, until she latched onto his other wrist, gingerly pulling it up to her forehead. She stared into his hard eyes as she clenched his fist in her hand, leaving his pointer and middle finger extended, before she pressed them to her forehead.

The minute that his fingers touched her sweaty forehead, it was like a dam had burst. Memories poured into the angel’s mind, a man ripping an infant from its mother, the mother being pinned to a ceiling before it burst into flames. The next was of the man toddler training, the man throwing the child into trees, blood pouring from the child’s head. Then, multiple images of them standing in front of burning houses, each incasing a different family. Scenes continued to flash through the angel’s mind, an entire life flashing from one person to another in mere seconds.

Keila released the grip on his wrist, and both of their hands fell away. Tears were streaking her tanned cheeks as she looked up at the angel, both of their eyes glowing in the dark. Her lips quivered as she stared at the angel, her throat tightening underneath his hold. He continued to stare at her, as his mind wrapped around what he had just seen. The grip on her throat slackened, before his hand dropped to his side. He continued to examine her, their bodies still extremely close to one another. Keila rubbed her neck gingerly, pulling her dark hair away from the nape and massaging it gently. She sucked in a deep breath, holding it, then exhaling as she dropped her hand.

“I….I don’t know what I am. But, I know what my father was. I didn’t want this. I never asked for this life. I’m sorry.” Her composure broke, sobs breaking from deep within her chest. Her body was racked with sobs as she threw her hands over her face, loudly sobbing into them. Years of pent up emotion broke free, the waves causing Keila to crash to her bruised knees. She continued to bawl, her body shaking with each fit of crying. Her throat became hoarse, from the silent screams that tore through her body, her head pounding from the pressure that built up behind her eyes. She pulled her hands away from her face, placing them on the ground and leaning over as she dry-heaved from crying so hard.

She tried to suck in air, but her body was betraying her mind. She got small gulps of air, her heart hammering against her rib cage. Her entire body shook as the emotions tore through her. She didn’t know how long it took for her to recover, but when she did, she remembered that it just wasn’t her in the woods. She felt heat rise to her splotchy face, embarrassment flooding through her body. She kept her head down, and peered through her curtain of hair, looking for the celestial being. Her eyebrows raised when she didn’t see his vessel’s feet, and she swallowed her pride and lifted her head up.

She sat alone in the forest, no sign of the angel. She sucked in a shuddering breath, staring straight ahead, her hands in her lap. She didn’t know how long she sat on the damp forest floor, but she only decided to move when the sun began to peek through the tree’s canopy.

Slowing pushing herself onto her heels, Keila rose to her feet, dark wet spots on her knees. She brushed her long hair away from her face, wrapping her arms around her body, before heading towards her car. As she walked away, she was oblivious to the pair of cerulean eyes that watched her leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always welcomed!


	10. Chapter 10

Not much was said once everyone returned back to the motel. Eyes were shifty, no real answer was given by anybody, and all were seemingly okay with it. Keila didn't go back to sleep that night, the thudding in her chest and nauseous pain rolling in her stomach kept her awake. How she wished she could've slept, though. It would've silenced her mind, for just a couple of hours. Her mind was still racing when the sun peeked over the horizon, it was still racing when the sleepy town slowly came to life, and it didn't even stop when the hunters all piled out of their rooms, bleary-eyed and exhausted. Her tumultuous thoughts kept rolling as they made their way back to North Dakota, and continued on when they pulled into Bobby's Salvage Yard, with the sun hanging high in the sky.

She couldn't find any solstice, constantly plagued by what that angel had said to her. _He knew._ That's all that she could think about, is that _he knew there was something different about her_. It shouldn't have surprised her; he was an angel of the Lord. He was an almighty and powerful servant of God, _of course he could sense the darkness that was etched into her_. But, that didn't mean that it terrified her any less. Her faith in her ability was crumbling before her eyes. She was _so sure_ that she could mask her demonic energy from other supernatural creatures, but that angel, _Castiel_ , threw her in a tailspin.

She gnawed on her lower lip, until a rap on her driver's side window startled her out of her thoughts. She cursed to herself as a metallic taste filled her mouth, running her tongue over the divot in her lower lip. She grimaced to herself, as she gingerly pushed the door open and exited her car. She placed her hand over the top of her brows, shielding her honey brown eyes as she peered up at the younger Winchester. She noticed the shadow that he casted, and she quickly moved into it, dropping her hand and sighing in relief as she escaped the sun's harsh glare.

"Thank God your tall…" She muttered quietly to herself. Apparently, it wasn't quiet enough, since the hunter in front of her chuckled, and she grinned sheepishly up at him. He stared down at her, a small smile on his lips, before it dropped and his brows furrowed together. He leaned towards he ever so slightly, hand raising to grab a hold of her shoulder. Keila's entire body stiffened at the contact, her eyes wide as she watched him edge closer. _Could he sense it?_ _The darkness that swirled around inside of her? Was this where she finally-_

He brushed the sleeve of his shirt across her bottom lip, pulling it back and inspecting it, before turning his wrist out and showing it to her. She stared dumbly at the crimson mark that was smeared across his plaid shirt sleeve.

"Your lip is bleeding…" He glanced at her, eyes showing the smallest amount of concern. Oh. _OH_. Her tongue darted out across her bottom lip, trying to soothe the small puncture mark. She threw her head back slightly, hand dragging through her dark tresses, before she looked down at her scuffed boots, a small blush creeping up her neck and onto her cheeks.

"I gotta bad habit of bitin' the dead skin off my lips. Apparently, I gotta little too eager." She scrunched her nose and closed her eyes, groaning.

"'m sorry. That's gross." Sam chuckled at her, throwing his arm around her shoulders and steering her towards Bobby's house. Keila's head fit snugly in the giant's armpit, which made her feel oddly calm. As they made their way up the back porch, Sam pulled away slightly, pulling the screen door open for her, nodding his head towards the house. She scurried past him, mumbling a 'thank you' as she moved down the hall and into the large study. The older hunter was already sitting at his massive desk, books spread all out in front of him as his weathered eyes scanned the pages in front of him.

Keila crossed in front of the desk, her body slightly sagging as she moved across the intricate trap on the floor, before she plopped down on the worn couch, both of her arms moving to the back of it. She turned her head from side to side, her neck popping loudly, before she dropped her head to rest on the back of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. She could hear the brothers moving around to her left. She kept her eyes trained on the ceiling as she heard a chair scrape across the floor, and an aggravated sigh echo throughout the room.

"Well, then tell me what else it could be." Keila lulled her head to the side, staring lazily at the two brothers that were arguing in the kitchen. Dean propped up against the kitchen counters, his arms crossed across his chest, an irritated look on his face. Keila couldn't help but let her eyes roam over the older Winchester, his tight black shirt stretching across his pectorals, his tan biceps flexing as he stared down his younger brother. Keila flicked her tongue over her lower lip again, convincing herself she was doing it to check for blood, and not any other reason.

"It's not fair." She whined lowly to herself, letting out a huff. Why were they _both_ so attractive? She bet they never went through and ugly duckling stage. _It should be mandatory_ , she thought to herself. God knows that she went through one. Her puberty years were _NOT_ a pleasant time in her life. Hormonal and learning to control demonic powers? _Big no-no._

"Look, all I know is I was not groped by an angel." Keila couldn't hold back the snort that escaped through her nose. All three hunters glanced at her briefly, only one of them smiling towards her. She rolled her head towards the brothers and shrugged her shoulders lazily. _What? It was funny_.

"Okay, look Dean. Why do you think this Castiel would lie to you about it?" _He's not lying_. Keila watched as the older Winchester looked away from his younger brother, shrugging his shoulders lazily.

"Maybe he's some kinda demon. Demons lie." Keila rolled her eyes at the eldest Winchester. He was grasping at straws to try an explain this away. A throat clearing caused Keila's head to bob towards the right as she stared at the older hunter, he was staring hard at Dean.

"A demon who's immune to salt rounds, and devil's traps…and, Ruby's knife? Dean, Lilith is scared of that thing!" Sam was exasperated as he tried to convince his older brother. Dean was as stubborn as a mule sometimes. Keila rolled her head back over, watching the brother's argue again. She stared lazily at them as she slowly placed her left ankle on top of her right thigh and sinking lower into the old couch.

"Don't you think that if angels were real, that some hunter somewhere would have seen one…at some point…ever?" Sam stared hard at his brother, his words coming out dull and sarcastic.

"Yeah. You just did, Dean." Dean groaned, dropping his hands to grip the kitchen counter.

"I'm trying to come up with a theory here, okay?! Work with me." Sam groaned, aggravation clear across his handsome face.

"Dean, we have a theory." Dean pushed himself off the counter, storming across the kitchen and towards Bobby's desk.

"Yeah, one with a little less fairy dust on it, please." Sam rolled his eyes, slowly rising from his chair and following his brother toward the desk. Keila stayed rooted in her spot, head sagging into her shoulder as she stared at the hunters in front of her. She was still awkward when it came to social interactions. She'd spent the majority of her life either alone, or with her father, so she usually tried to fade into the background and watched what unfolded in front of her from afar. _Since, that's what she was trained to do_.

"Okay, look. I'm not saying we know for sure. I'm just saying that I think we- "

"Okay! Okay. That's the point. We don't know for sure, so I'm not gonna believe this thing is a _freaking Angel of the Lord_ because it says so!" Keila's eyebrows arched slightly as the two brothers bickered in front of her. She'd seen them do this before, when she had to tail them with her father, and later on when she was on her own, but she never had _front row seats_ to it. It was kind of entertaining to watch.

"You two chuckleheads wanna keep arguin' religion, or do you wanna come take a look at this?" The brothers glanced at each other, before huddling over Bobby's desk to look at the books. Bobby leaned back slightly, making eyes contact with Keila, before jerking his head towards the book.

"That means you too, _Honey-britches_." Keila groaned as she slowly dropped her left leg down, and pushed herself off of the couch. _Honey-britches? What is it with hunters and these ridiculous nicknames?_ She saw Dean's forest eyes gleaming at her, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. Keila childishly stuck her tongue out at him, receiving a chuckle in return as she moved towards the edge of the desk.

"I got stacks of lore, Biblical, Pre-Biblical. Some of it's in damn cuneiform. It all says an angel can snatch a soul from the pit." Dean leaned back, shaking his head, while Sam looked over at him. Keila just kept staring at the books that were sprawled out on the desk in front of them, eyes scanning the pages, trying to absorb the information written on them.

"What else?" Bobby looked up at Dean, eyes furrowed underneath his baseball cap.

"What else, what?" He raised his eyebrows at the eldest Winchester.

"What else could do it?" Keila rolled her eyes, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. She brushed her fingers a long one of the pages, speed reading it.

"Nothin'." She muttered loud enough for all the hunters to hear. They all looked at her quizzically. She glanced up, clearing her throat, before standing up straight and carding her hair over one of her shoulders.

"I'm not as clueless as ya'll think. I've done plenty of research on all sorts of weird shit. Angels are a breed all their own. They can do shit that most things can't." The hunters continued to stare at her, all eyes boring into her. Keila felt her shoulders square slightly, silently taking on their challenging stares. Dean's eyes broke away first, glancing back towards Bobby. The older hunter looked away next, rolling his shoulders and sighing.

"Airlift your ass outta the hot box? As far as I can tell, nothing. _Honey-britches_ is right."

" _Quit calling me that_." Keila hissed under her breath, glaring lightly at the older hunter. Despite her outward detest for the nickname, she couldn't help the warmth that spread throughout her when the hunter called her that. A since of longing filled her chest, that she quickly tried to smother.

"Dean, this is good." The younger Winchester looked at his brother, who looked back at him incredulously.

"How?" Sam gave his brother a hard look, lips forming a thin line, eyebrows quirking ever so slightly. Keila noticed that the younger Winchester did this a lot. It was a very sarcastic look, and it made her want to giggle.

"Because, for once, this isn't just another round of demon crap." Keila involuntarily winced, but none of the hunters seemed to notice. "I mean, maybe you were saved by one of the good guys, ya know?" Dean rolled his eyes, looking at the group that was huddled around the table. His emerald eyes looked on to Keila's amber eyes for a brief second, before his shoulders sagged in defeat.

"Okay, so say it's true. Say there are angels. Then what? There's a _God_?" The mocking tone did not go unnoticed to Keila. She could hear the bitterness in Dean's voice, and for once, Keila didn't blame him for it.

"At this point, Vegas money's on yeah." Dean let out an exasperated sigh, head lulling back slightly.

"I don't know, guys."

"Okay, look." Sam interjected, trying to convince his brother. "I know you're not all choirboy about this stuff, but this is becoming less and less about faith and more and more about proof." Dean gave his brother a side-eyed glance.

"Proof?" Sam nodded his head eagerly.

"Yes!" Dean stared at his younger brother, brows furrowed.

"Proof that there's a God out there that actually gives a crap about me _personally_? I'm sorry, I'm not buying it." Sam's face fell, a groan escaping. Keila leaned back on her heels, watching the interaction between the two of them unfold.

"Why not?" Her lip twitched slightly. _He sounded like such a little brother just then, whining_.

"Because, why me? If there is a God out there, why would he give a crap about _me_?" Keila could feel her stomach heart drop into her stomach as the hunter spoke. She knew that tone, it sounded just like her inner monologue.

"Dean- "

"I mean, I've saved some people, okay? I figured that made up for the stealing and the ditching chicks. But, why do I deserve to get saved? I'm just a regular guy." Keila stared hard at Dean Winchester. She could feel the self-loathing roll off of him in waves. She felt for the hunter, that head space is not a place that you want to live in. _If that wasn't pot calling the kettle black_.

"Apparently, you're a regular guy that's important to the man upstairs." The way Sam's eyes shone as he stared at his other brother, Keila almost couldn't stop the 'aww' that was about to pass her sore lips. It was cute.

"Well, that creeps me out. I mean, I don't like getting singled out at birthday parties, much less by… _God._ " Sam stared down at his brother, his face showing how fed up he was with his brother's antics. _The role reversal between these two, I swear…_

"Okay, well, too bad, Dean. Because, I think he wants you to strap on your party hat." Keila snorted again. These two were _ridiculous_ with their little phrases. She didn't miss the smug look on Sam's face either. _Oh, he's proud of himself on that one_. Dean gave Sam a half-assed glare, before rolling his shoulders and looking at Bobby.

"Fine, what do we know about angels?" Keila watched as the older hunter picked up a book, holding it out to the side for Keila to grab. She takes it gingerly from the hunter's hand, running her fingers along the worn cover, before cradling it to her chest. She glances up as she hears a loud 'thud' as Bobby places a large stack of books in front of Dean.

"Start reading." She stifled a giggle as she watched Dean's eyes widen on the large pile of books in front of him, before he glances to his brother, then back at the pile. He glared up at his brother, pointing a finger at him, before swiping a book from the top of the pile.

"You're gonna get me some pie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated!


	11. Chapter 11

Well, this was awkward. Keila glanced up from her spot on the couch, the book of lore all but forgotten as she looked at the other two hunters in the room. Bobby sat at his large desk, glasses sitting on the tip of his nose as he stared down at a massive book, slowly scanning the pages. He seemed to be lost in the words, brows knitted together and his jaw set. Keila let out an inaudible huff, glancing at the old leather bound book in her lap.

 _This shit was boring_.

She didn’t realize all the time that went into actual _research_. She always assumed hunters were more or less the type to shoot first, ask questions later. She never thought of them hunched over ancient books actually _studying_ what they were going after.

She raised her amber eyes to the eldest Winchester, who was sitting in a kitchen chair, legs sprawled out in front of him, head laid back against the chair, arms folded across his chest while his eyes glared at the ceiling. A book laid cracked open on the desk, its contents haven’t been looked at since it was thrown over there thirty minutes ago. Keila smirked to herself.

_That’s what she thought a hunter looked like._

Dean looked about as bored as she felt, but at least Keila was _trying_ to be helpful. Dean just didn’t give a damn about any of it, and apparently Bobby was used to his antics, cause he hadn’t said a word to the Winchester. Keila put the back of her hands up against the sides of her neck, pushing her chest out and pointing her elbows up, successfully stretching her back, shoulders, and arms all in one go, her wrists giving a satisfying crack as well. She then straightened her legs out, pointing her toes in her worn leather boots, stretching her lower body, before setting her book beside her on the couch and standing slowly.

Even though neither one of the hunters stirred from their spots or even looked at her, she knew that they were both very aware that she was up and moving. She did a quick survey of the room, locating the easiest exit points and possible weapons, before she shook her head slightly and sauntered towards the kitchen. _Old habits die hard._ As she walked by the kitchen table that the Winchester sat at, she looked down at the book that he was _supposed_ to be reading.

“Oh, that is such horse shit.” The hunter looked down at his nose at the woman who was scowling down at the book on the table, before her honey eyes caught his emerald ones. He cocked his eyebrow at her, before pulling his legs in slightly and lifting his head off the back of the chair. His arms were still crossed as he gave the woman a questioning look.

“ _What is?_ ” Well, _okay then_. Keila wasn’t expecting that sort of hostility from the hunter, she liked to think that they may have moved past that stage, _but apparently not_. Even though she couldn’t see Bobby, she knew that she unwittingly had attracted his attention as well, and she was starting to regret her off-handed comment. She held her ground though, no wavering as forest eyes bore into amber ones.

“How come you get the book with pictures?” Dean sat there for a moment, eyes unmoving as the woman nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders. He then cast his eyes towards the book on the desk, then back at her. The book, then her. The book, then her. The tension that and unknowingly built between the two could be cut with a knife.

“ _What?_ ” Keila couldn’t help but smile at the exasperated look on the hunter’s face as the initial aggravation died out and all that was left was a confused man looking at her and a book with what looked like a 17th century rendition of angels rising to heaven. She gestured towards the book on the table with her hand, the hunter following her motions with his eyes.

“I’m over there reading a damn manuscript on angels ‘n shit, while you got a picture book.” She could hear Bobby snort from behind her, and a smile began to tug at the corners of her lips. Dean stared at her, wide-eyed for a minute, before he squinted at her and scrunched up his nose slightly. He looked back towards the book, uncrossing one of his arms and fingering the page slightly, before opening his mouth, then closing it again. He continued to play with the page between his fingers, before abruptly stopping and staring up at Keila.

“Are you trying to be funny, _Honey_?” Keila rolled her eyes at the hunter, before making her way to the cabinets, eyes scanning each one, before she gingerly started opening them. She started with the cabinets closest to the door, and slowly made her way down each one, cursing silently at the contents.

“That’s what I was going for.” She kept looking through the cupboards, groaning when she couldn’t find what she was looking for. She heard a chair scratch across the floor, but ignored it, her quest more important. Suddenly, a strong, tanned forearm came into her peripheral, reaching towards her right and pulling open a cabinet forcefully. Fumbling could be heard from within the cupboard, before a glass mason jar was pulled out and held in front of her face, eye-level. She blinked at the jar, before grabbing it from the bottom, her slender fingers not even wrapping half way around it. Dean released the top from where he was holding it, his chest brushing against her back as he leaned his face over her shoulder, slanting his eyes to look at her while he still faced straight ahead. She cast her eyes to the side as well, barely catching a glimpse of his handsome face.

“Well, it wasn’t.” He stepped away from her, and Keila’s face dropped into a scowl. She threw her elbow back gently, but she wasn’t quick enough to try and gut check him. Dean chuckled as he moved around her towards her left, propping up against the counter to stare down at her. She moved to the old farmer’s sink, yanking the faucet and watching the water splutter out from the old tap. She quickly stuck the mason jar underneath the running stream, some splashing onto her hand, before she turned the faucet off and took a big gulp. She downed half of the glass before she pulled it away, some dribbling out of the corner of her mouth and dropping onto her chest.

“Shit.” Keila hunched over slightly, the rest of the water dripping onto the floor. She grabbed them hem of her shirt, pulling it up to wipe the rest of the water off of her mouth. She glanced to the side when she felt a pair of eyes boring into her. With her shirt still pulled to her mouth, she glanced at the eldest Winchester, to see him staring hard at her. She dropped the bottom of her shirt, straightening up, before smoothing it back down, grimacing at the dark water mark that stained the bottom. The hunter was still staring at her, which was beginning the make her slightly uncomfortable.

“You have a tattoo.” It wasn’t a question, more or less a stated fact. She felt her body relax slightly, her shoulders hunching over as she leaned against the sink. _So, THAT’S what he was staring at_. She smiled up at the hunter, before grabbing the bottom of her shirt again, pulling it up to expose her entire mid-section, stopping just below her bra. Encompassing her entire side was a massive branch that appeared to start from below her jeans and rose about four of five inches up her side. Perched on top of the branch was a large raven that extended all the way to the tops of her ribs. The entire piece was done in black, white, and variations of gray shading, except for the breast of the bird, where there was light shading of gold and blue, like the feathers were giving off iridescent sheen. Behind the raven was a light purple hue that backlit the piece.

“Yeah, it took about four hours to do. Hurt like a bitch, too.” The hunter leaned in closer to inspect the tattoo, his calloused finger reaching out and gently brushing against her side, where the bird’s chest was inked. A light scattering of goosebumps rose from where he touched. Keila peeked over to watch him stare at her side, before she slowly dropped her shirt back down.

“His name is Edgar.” She said off-handedly, as the eldest Winchester rose back to his full height. He continued to stare down at her as she smoothed her shirt back down, before she grabbed the mason jar off the counter and took another swig. He noticed that this time she was a lot slower in drinking her water, and licked her lips when she pulled the glass away. Unconsciously, his tongue darted out across his as well.

“Edgar?” She grinned up at the hunter, placing her cup back onto the counter, before both her hands beside her on the edge of it, bending her elbows slightly and leaning back. She rolled her neck side to side, her bones popping loudly.

“Yeah, ya know, the poet?” Dean continued to stare down at the strange woman, the smile on her face slowly falling as they continued to stare at one another. Dean watched has her brows furrowed and she angled her shoulders towards him, he body leaning forward slightly.

“Please tell me you’ve heard of Edgar Allan Poe?” Dean shrugged his shoulders as he looked down at her, a small smirk tugging at his lips. He laced his thumbs through the belt loops on his jeans and cocked his hip against the counter, so his entire body was now facing her. His head drooped forward a little and was slightly off to the side as he watched her.

“Sorry, can’t say that I have.” He couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out from his chest at the face she pulled. She looked genuinely _offended_ that he’s never heard of this man. She continued to glower at him after his laughter died down, digging around in her back pocket, before pulling out a sleek, black phone. She tapped on the smooth glass screening, the artificial light casting a white glow across her face. Dean glanced back towards the parlor and saw that Bobby was on his phone, a look of worry etched across his face. Dean raised his eyebrows in a questioning manner to the older man, who only waved his hand at Dean before turning his back to him. Dean shrugged his shoulders, and began turning his head back towards Keila when a bright light was shoved in his face. He squinted his eyes as the phone came into focus, and small text appeared on the screen. Dean grabbed the phone from her, their hands brushing against one another slightly as his eyes scanned over the screen. In big bold letters at the top of the screen, ‘ _The Raven’_ was written across, below it in smaller text read, ‘ _by Edgar Allan Poe_ ’.

“You need to read that, now. And, tell me what you think.” Dean glanced around the phone and looked down at her. Her face was determined, and she nodded her head towards the phone. He chuckled at her, before glancing back the phone, his index finger running along the screen to scroll. _She’s a feisty one_. Before Dean could even start reading the poem, the familiar rumble of an engine came from outside. His eyes lit up, as he pocketed the phone in his hand and made is way to the back door. A small ‘hey’ sounded behind him, which he ignored, as he continued to make his way outside. Bobby falls in line behind Dean, green duffle bag in his hand, leaving Keila to bring up the rear, an exasperated look on her face. Bobby leans over Dean’s shoulder, whispering something into his ear, making the other hunter stop briefly, before nodding his head and continuing out the door.

“Keep the engine running.” The older hunter makes his way towards the window of the classic car, tossing the duffle towards Dean, who’s throwing it into the trunk of another car. Keila looks around confused, her eyes darting over all three hunters, before she stands awkwardly to the side. What did she miss in the 0.5 seconds that it took for her to walk outside? Sam glances up at the older hunter, a worried expression etched across his face.

“Why, what’s going on?” Bobby leans into the car through the window, making eye contact with the younger Winchester.

“I gotta friend one state over, Olivia Lowry. I’ve been tryin’ to reach her for three days on this angel thing. It’s not like her to ignore this many calls.”

“Olivia Lowry…hunter, right?” Sam questioned, his arm thrown over the back of the seat. Keila pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, her good mood all but vanishing. Her belly began to roll with uneasiness, and the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end. She could sense by the ways these boys were acting, that something was up.

“Yeah, we’re gonna go check on her. You guys follow me.” Bobby brushed past Keila, making his way to the car that Dean was standing at. Keila continued to stand their awkwardly as Dean made his way to the driver’s side of the door, telling his younger brother to scoot over as he got in. He plopped down in the seat, grabbing the white plastic bag that was handed to him. Keila looked down at her dirty boots, kicking at the pebbles slightly before she started inching her way towards her Challenger.

“ _Honey_ , what are you doing?” Both brothers were staring at her through the open window. Dean was hunched forward, plastic baggy in his hand while Sam was leaned back. She glanced towards he car, then back at the brothers, before nodding her head towards the crimson sports car.

“I was, uhm…. just, gonna go and, uhh…. get a hotel room until y’all came back?” Her voice continued to rise throughout the sentence, almost ended in a squeak. She continued to shuffle towards her car as both brothers continued to stare at her. She continued her slow shuffle, never taking her eyes off of them, before Dean let out and exasperated sigh.

“Do you want to come?” Keila raised her eyebrows at them, her movements stalling for a moment.

“I dunno, do you want me to come?” Dean groaned and threw his head forward, resting it on the leather steering will as he continued to stare at her. Sam gave her a broad smile, brushing his hand through his hair, before leaning it against the open lip of the window.

“I mean, if ya’ll don’t’ want me to come, I get it. This is some personal shit, and y’all might not want any intruders, which is totally okay! I’m not gonna be offended by it at all. I can just get a hotel room and wait for y’all to come back, it’s no big deal, really…”

“ _Honey_ , get your ass in the car!” Keila squeaked and stopped her rambling, scurrying over to the back of the Impala and opening the back passenger door, carefully sliding inside. Dean stared at her through the rearview mirror, before turning his attention towards the bag in his hand. He smiled to himself as he eagerly dug into the bag, pushing around the contents, his face falling at a sudden realization.

“Dude?”

“Yeah?” Dean turned towards his brother, eyes wide and searching.

“Where’s the pie?” Sam’s face fell and Keila couldn’t help but snicker in the back seat, her left leg crossing over her right. Dean glared at her again through the rearview mirror, before dramatically pointing two fingers towards his eyes, then at her though the mirror. Keila stuck her tongue out at the older Winchester when his eyes turned back towards the front windshield. Sam turned around and smiled sheepishly at Keila, who graciously returned one as well.

“Seriously, if y’all don’t want me to come along, it’s fine. I’m not gonna get my feelin’s hurt or nothin’.” Dean just waved one of his hands at her, his eyes never leaving the road as he made his way out of Singer’s Salvage Yard. Sam turned back towards her, his arm thrown over the back as he looked over his shoulder.

“Keila, it’s fine, really. You might as well see how this life works. And, what’s really out there.” She nodded towards Sam, a tight smile pulling across his lips.

_Sweetie, if you only knew what I did._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always welcomed!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to irinaL and guest for the kudos!

Keila knew something was up when they pulled up to the hunter’s house. Her body was on high alert when the hunter’s told her to wait outside, pooling into the house, only to return minutes later with grim faces. She became more suspicious when they drove to another hunter’s house, the same outcome as before. It didn’t settle well in her stomach, as she watched the Winchester brothers lumber out of the house, before piling back into the Impala. Dean yanks open the driver’s side door, plopping down on the worn leather seats, before slamming it behind him, hands tight on the steering wheel. Sam takes a gentler approach, slowly easing into the passenger seat, closing the door softly, before looking towards Keila in the back seat.

“It’s basically the same thing that happened at Olivia’s house. I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s not good.” His lips were in a thin line, and Keila could see pain shining behind his eyes. She glanced towards the older Winchester and saw the hard edge that back lit his eyes, her stomach rolling again. She had seen that same hard look so many times whenever she looked in the mirror. A look that was meant to mask the pain that was felt, to fool others into thinking that everything was fine, when it really wasn’t.

She had watched the Winchesters grow up, unbeknownst to them, and she knew more about the brother’s than she ever wanted them to know about her. She knew about how Dean was the soldier, and Sam was ‘normal’ child. She saw how John Winchester treated his older son, much like her father had treated her. Like they were a machine, only having one purpose in life. Keila clenched her jaw, hands balling into fists, as she exhaled loudly through her nose.

_Even though he was gone, she couldn’t stop the way that he affected her._

Keila didn’t offer any condolences to the hunters as they drove back towards Bobby’s place. She didn’t know these hunters that had met their tragic ends, and even though she _knew_ she should feel some type of remorse, _she didn’t_. Years of basically working _against_ hunters, that hatred that was seared deep into her bones, even if she was trying to do right by all of the wrong she had done, _it doesn’t erase everything_.

The ride back was just as exhausting as the ride out, and sometime in the middle of it all, Dean and Sam had switched spots, begrudgingly to Dean. Keila had never seen someone so attached to a car before. Now, don’t get her wrong, she _adored_ her car, but Dean had taken this obsession to a whole nother level. So, she couldn’t stop the snickers in the back seat as Dean berated Sam on his driving and handling of his _‘Baby_ ’.

Keila had no idea how long they had been in the car when they pulled up to the gas station. Sam slid out of the driver’s side, stretching his back out slightly, before he sauntered over to the gas pump and stuck it into the tank. Keila pushed open the back door, laying down against the back seat, legs stretching out of the open door. A small squeak vibrated in her throat as she stretched, hands almost pressing against the driver’s side back door, before she let out a huff and sat up slowly. Stepping out of the car, she glanced through the passenger window, a small smirk pulling at the corner of her lips as she peered at the sleeping hunter in the front seat.

“Hey, I’m gonna head to the bathroom. Watch the pump?” Sam was already making his way to the restroom before Keila could even answer him. She just nodded her head towards him as he disappeared, leaning her torso across the trunk of the Impala, watching the gas pump. She dutifully watched the numbers roll higher and higher, until the pump clicked. She lazily rolled her upper body off the car, grabbing the nozzle and returning it back to its spot.

The minute her hand left the pump, she could feel her powers pulling underneath her skin. She let out a sharp gasp as her eyes flashed yellow, goosebumps breaking across her body. She glanced towards the bathroom that Sam had went into, and could see an icy energy pooling from within. Keila’s mind went into autopilot, as she quickly rushed towards the driver’s side door, flinging it open and groping for the trunk hatch.

The pop of the trunk roused Dean from his slumber, his bleary eyes taking in the blur of a body, before his body too went into autopilot. He rolled out of the passenger side door, rushing to the back of the car to see Keila staring down at the massive amounts of weapons in the trunk.

“What’s going on?” Dean glanced briefly at Keila, his eyes not really focusing on her. He reached for the sawed off that lay in the center of the trunk, popping the barrel open to check to make sure rounds were in there, before clicking it back shut.

“Somethin’s in there with your brother.” She nodded her head towards the bathroom, grabbing a crow bar that was stored in one of the side flaps of the trunk, her curtain of dark hair jostling with the movement. She moved passed the hunter, running towards the bathroom with a speed that Dean hadn’t seen in a long time. He followed close behind her, a resounding crack resonating from inside the bathroom as they both arrived. He glanced at Keila quickly, barely taking in her appearance, his eyes going wide briefly, before they darted into the bathroom.

Dean raised his shot gun and blasted the person that was hovering over his younger brother, the figure dissipating into thin air. Keila crouched down next to the younger Winchester, rolling him onto his back, and placing both hands on the side of his head. Dean stared down at the woman who was talking to his brother, holding up fingers in front of his face and speaking to him in a calm, southern twang. He tried hard to look at her face when she was hunched over his younger brother, but her hair was like her own privacy curtain, not allowing him to intrude on her and Sam.

Keila grabbed a hold of Sam’s shoulder gently, pulling him into a sitting position, before moving around in front of him and slowly helping him to his feet. She grunted as Sam put his weight on her, smiling at the young hunter when he apologized.

“’s okay. You’re heavier than you look.” Sam chuckled at her, slowly rising to his full height, hands pressing up against the knot on the back of his head. He winced at the pain that erupted in his skull, before he started staggering back towards the car, Keila following close behind him, avoiding Dean’s gaze.

Dean watched the both of them walk out of the bathroom, shot gun clutched in his hands. He glanced around the destroyed bathroom, noticing the cracked mirror and chipped sink. He inhales long and slow, holding his breath, before slightly shaking his head and exhaling. He gives the bathroom another quick onceover, before he follows the other two towards his car. When he exits the bathroom, he notices that Sam is already sprawled out in the front seat, Keila sitting dead center in the back, trunk still popped open. Dean works his way to the back of the car, tossing the shot gun into the trunk, before closing it with a resounding ‘clank’. As he slides into the driver’s side, he can’t help but look back towards the woman in the back seat, his emerald eyes locking on to amber. She quirks a dark brow at him, before he tears his gaze away and cranks the car, tearing out of the gas station.

Dean fishes his phone out of his pocket, tapping on the screen, before pulling it towards his ear. Keila glances around the headrest, looking at the younger Winchester’s bruised face. She grimaces slightly, before leaning back into the back seat.

“Damn it, Bobby! Pick up!” Dean huffs, looking down at his phone, glancing at his brother from the corner of his eye.

“How’re you feeling, huh? How many fingers am I holdin’ up?” Sam rolls his eyes, before answering his brother.

“None. I’ll be fine, Dean.” Dean nods his head thoughtfully, casting another glace towards his younger brother.

“Henrikson?”

“Yup.” Keila winced at the tone of Sam’s voice. She knew all about Henrikson, Lilith and her father were in cahoots at the time, and she heard on the demonic radio what happened in Colorado.  Keila had to stay in hiding during that time, if Lilith caught wind of her snooping around, it would’ve alerted her father and hell, _that would’ve been bad_.

“Why? What’d he want?” Sam stared blankly out the front window, his jaw tensing ever so slightly.

“Revenge, ‘cause we got him killed.”

“Sam…”

“Well, we did, Dean.” Sam let out an exasperated sigh as he stared at his older brother. Dean gave a hard glare at Sam, before he turned his eyes back towards the road that they were traveling on.

“All right. Stop right there. Whatever the hell is goin’ on, it’s happenin’ to us now, okay? I can’t get ahold of Bobby, so if you’re not thinkin’ of answers, don’t think at all.” Keila glared at the back of the older hunter, her teeth grinding together. She reached around the back of the head rest in front of her, gently placing her hand on Sam’s shoulder and giving it a light squeeze. Sam glanced back at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips, before his face fell again and he stared straight ahead.

Dean stared at Keila through the rearview mirror, his attention never leaving her eyes. He studied the light color of them, the outer rim of her iris a warm chocolate color, slowly fading into a warm honey brown, before darkening again towards her pupil. He replayed the scene of them about to enter into the bathroom to save Sam over and over again in his head, trying to remember ever single detail that he could. Because, there was something off about Keila in that moment, something that he’s not sure if it truly happened, or if it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

_Her eyes were a sickly yellow._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to guest for the kudos! I really appreciate your support in the story and would love to hear some of your feedback!

Keila wheezed, her eyes wide as she was slammed into one of the parked junkers out in Bobby’s scrap yard. Her back ached from the impact as she rolled onto her stomach, propping herself up onto her elbows. She glanced up fearfully at the worn leather boots that were making their way towards her. She attempted to army crawl away from her attacker, before a large hand wrapped around her ankle, pulling her back, a scream ripping out of her throat. She clawed at the dusty road, dirt and gravel getting underneath her fingernails, scratching at her palms. Her attacker flipped her over onto her back, her amber eyes flashing with fear. The tanned man stood in front of her, face worn from the sun and age, teeth painfully white, grinning down at her. Blue eyes stared down at her, but all she could see in her mind was piercing yellow, and her body convulsed slightly.

“ _Hello, daughter_.” Her body was swung from the ground and flung into another set of cars, making a sickening crack and dent into the rusted metal. She scooted across the junkyard on her ass, trying to get away from her assailant, _from her father_. The apparition in front of her just chuckled, as he edged his way towards her.

“He was right, ya know. You _are_ quite pathetic. Never stood up for ya self, never did what you were told. _You never tried to save ME!_ ” He snarled, swatting a large hand out towards her. She curled her body away, barely missing it, and the man chuckled some more.

“You knew that I was trapped in there, and you did _nothing_ about it. Too scared of your father, huh? Do you know how long he had me locked up in my own mind, watching him kill all those innocent people? Watching him destroy lives? Watching him create monsters, _just like you?”_ Keila flinched back at his words, her mind flashing to memories that were eerily similar to this.

“You know, for the longest time, I pitied you. The way he treated you. No _thing_ should be treated like that. But, then you wised up and ran off, and for a moment _I was happy for you_. Hopin’ and prayin’ that you may stand up to your old man and save me. But, I shoulda known better. _You’re a coward._ You wouldn’t save me, just like you wouldn’t save all those others.” Keila’s aching back was pressed up against a rusted car as her father’s vessel made his way towards her. Her pupils were constricted, little pin points swimming in a sea of honey. Her chest was heaving, and her dark hair was sticking to the back of her neck.

“’m sorry….”

“ _NO YOU’RE NOT!”_ A tanned hand wrapped around her slender neck, hoisting her up off the ground, feet dangling a few inches. Keila clawed at the specter’s arms, feet kicking wildly trying to find the ground beneath her. Her eyes darted around, before stopping on a brand on her father’s hand. She scrunched her brows together, before struggling against the tight grip around her throat.

“If you were sorry, you would’ve done something. You would’ve saved those lives that that bastard _ruined_. Instead, you played along and watched him work. _You’re worse than he was_.” Tears welled up in the corners or her eyes and black spots danced across her vision. Her strength began to weaken, until she was just hanging limply in this man’s grasp, hands slowly falling off of his wrists.

“You deserve to _die_.” Her amber eyes lazily locked onto his crystal eyes, her mouth falling open slightly, tongue fat in her mouth.

“ _I know_.” Suddenly, the apparition disappeared, and Keila’s body fell like a sack to the floor. She lay crumpled on the ground, shallow breaths pulling from her lungs as her head swam, trying to regain focus. She could vaguely hear two voices calling out to her, and her bleary eyes looked up, locking in on two hunters.

“KEILA! Keila, are you okay?!” Sam Winchester dropped down in front of her, crowbar clanging to the ground beside him. He pulled Keila gently by the shoulders, hoisting her body up slightly, as she began violently coughing into the crook of her arm.

“’m fine. I’m fine.” She wheezed, carding her hand through her hair, before glancing up at the youngest Winchester, Bobby not standing too far behind him. Both looked shaken up, and Keila let out a ragged sigh as she slowly pushed herself to her knees, and used Sam’s massive body as leverage to help her stand. Both hunters backed up slightly, giving her room, before Sam huddled close to her again, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“Who was that?” Keila glanced up at the hunter, eyes rimmed red, face drained of its color. Sam noticed her swollen neck, red and angry, with faint hints of purple bleeding in. He could see the clear imprint of a large hand, the outline of finger tips digging into the side of her jugular. He tightened his grip around her shoulder as they slowly moved back towards the house, noticing the stiff movements of her body.

“Somebody I shoulda saved.” Sam’s lips pulled into a thin line, nodding his head grimly as he made his way up the porch and into Bobby’s house, making their way into the study, where Dean was already pacing. Emerald eyes glanced up, brows furrowing slightly.

“What the hell happened to you, _Honey_?” Sam glared at his older brother as he moved Keila across the room towards the worn couch. He didn’t notice how Keila’s feet barely lifted off of the ground as they crossed the emblazed emblem on the floor, as he helped her sit down on the couch. Dean stared at the battered woman on the couch, taking in her dirty attire and bruised neck. He could see her favoring her right shoulder, holding it off of the back of the couch, as well as her left ankle, that was held slightly higher, so that her foot wouldn’t touch the floor. He tore his gaze away from her when his younger brother began to speak.

“So, they’re all people we know?” Dean glanced around the room looking at all the people in it, taking in their injuries. He walked towards the massive desk in the center of the room, leaning against it heavily.

“Not just know, people we couldn’t save.” He grimaced, before speaking again.

“Hey, I saw something on Meg. Did she have a tattoo when she was alive?” Sam scrunched up his face in contemplation.

“I don’t think so.” Dean slid a calloused hand through his short hair, gripping the ends slightly.

“It was like ah- a mark on her hand…almost like a brand.” Sam’s face brightened ever so slightly, as he made his way towards his brother.

“I saw a mark too, on Henrikson.” Bobby made his way over towards the massive desk, stepping in front of the brothers. All three of them turned towards Keila, who was slightly hunched over, shoulders rolled forward, a pained expression on her face.

“That man that attacked you, did he have one too?” Keila nodded her head slowly, not even bothering in looking at the other hunters, too wrapped up in her own thoughts and pain. She was sure that she had bruised a couple of ribs, if not broken them. And, her shoulder was definitely out of socket. She gritted her teeth as another sharp pain shot down her arm.

“What did it look like?” Two sets of eyes pulled away from her, forest eyes still burning into her form. Dean watched her scrunch her face up in agony, as she cradled her right elbow in her hand. He could tell that the damage that was inflicted on her was a lot worse than he originally thought, and he didn’t like the feeling he got in his chest whenever he looked at the bruise blossoming over the front of her neck.

“Uh, paper?” A notepad was handed to him, before he muttered a small ‘thanks’ and quickly got to work on the sketch. Dean’s eyes were still tracing over Keila’s body, before a pair of honey brown eyes locked onto his. They stared at each other, Keila’s eyes glazed over with pain. Dean opened his mouth to say something, before a piece of paper was shoved in front of his face. He blinked a couple of times, eyes focusing on the crude drawing in front of him.

“That’s it.” An exasperated sigh left the old hunter’s thin lips, before he pulled his baseball cap off of his head, and scratched his wrist against his thinning hair.

“I may have seen this before. We got to move.” Bobby moved around the study, gathering different books as both brothers watched at him. Sam made his way to the couch where Keila was at, and smiled down at Keila, who only grimaced up at him, as he moved his arm around her torso. Keila sucked in a sharp breath, leaning heavily onto Sam as he slowly pulled her to her feet.

“Okay, where are we going?” Bobby scowled at the youngest Winchester, before moving around him and making his way out of the room.

“Some place safe, you idiot.” Sam glances at Dean, before they both tail behind Bobby, down a set of stairs, that took a lot longer to get down with a crippled Keila in tow, and towards the basement. Keila pulled up before she entered the room, her stomach rolling with anxiety and a sense of nausea encompassing her body. She could see inside the iron clad room, and she knew that once she entered that room, almost all of her energy would be zapped. Sam looked down at Keila with a worried expression etched across his handsome face, but Keila ignored it, slowly hobbling forward.

“Bobby, is this…” Sam looked around the room in wonder, eyes dancing across the enclosed space. Keila was not as impressed as the other two hunters. The minute she stepped across the threshold, it felt as if her body had been filled with lead, her limbs sagging greatly, and her stomach turning angrily. It was the feeling of having to puke, but not wanting too. Keila swallowed thickly as she stood in the middle of the room, her mouth drying out.

“Solid iron. Completely coated in salt. 100% ghost-proof.” Sam let out a surprised chuckle, before turning towards the older hunter.

“You built a panic room?” The older hunter shrugged his shoulders, glancing around the room then back at the two brothers.

“I had a weekend off.” The nonchalance in his voice almost made Keila scoff. _Because, that’s exactly what hunters do on their weekends off_.

“Bobby.” The older hunter turned towards Dean Winchester, a confused look etched across his worn face.

“What?” Dean smiled at the man, before glancing around the room again.

“You’re awesome.” Again, Bobby just shrugged his shoulders, as Dean continued to take in the room. His eyes landed on a scantily clad swimsuit model hanging on the wall, before his mouth dropped slightly and he glanced towards Bobby. The older hunter held Dean’s stare for a few seconds, before Dean looked away embarrassed.

The embarrassment didn’t last too long as his eyes eventually landed on Keila, who was still standing in the middle of the room, hunched over, left foot barely pressing against the floor, and a sickly look on her face. Dean slowly made his way over, scanning the injured woman in front of him. He noticed the way that she still cradled her right elbow in her arms, and sucked in a sharp breath when he saw her right shoulder. He gently placed his hand on her right shoulder and Keila winced, pulling away from his touch. Dean stared down at her, his forest eyes burning into her amber ones.

“Ya know this is going to hurt.” She grimaced at him, before pulling in a deep breath, holding it, then letting it out. She shimmied her body towards him, so that her shoulder was easily accessible to him.

“I know.” She gritted her teeth as she felt him grip her shoulder lightly, preparing herself for the inevitable pain. She let out a loud yelp as he yanked her shoulder back, a sickening pop echoing throughout the room, as she pulled her body away from the hunter. She doubled her body over, her bruised ribs protesting as she slowly lifted her right arm up and shook it gently. Her entire arm throbbed, but the pain had subsided greatly, before she slowly stood to her full height.

Dean smiled at her sheepishly, before laying one of his massive hands on her left shoulder. Keila glanced at his toned arm, before capturing his eyes with her own.

“Next time you got an injury like that, tell someone.” Keila rolled her eyes at the hunter, before lazily pulling her heavy arm up to her forehead, performing a mock salute.

“You got it, captain.” Dean let out a low chuckle, before his eyes darted over the bruising on her neck. A massive purple hand was forming over the base of her neck, the indents from the attacker’s fingers a darker shade than the rest. Dean fought the anger that swelled up inside his belly, and the urge to run his fingers over her pulsing jugular as well.

“Rest up, _Honey_. We’re going to need you to beat this shit.” Keila nodded her head slowly as the hunter walked off to join his comrades. Keila slowly made her way to the worn down cot in the corner of the room, her body heavy and exhausted. She plopped down on it, hiking her left leg up slightly to keep pressure off of her busted ankle. She watched the hunters as they began to prepare for the oncoming fight, her stomach rolling again with nausea. She looked down and her slender hands, fighting back the bile that was rising in her throat.

“ _I need y’all more._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to BealzADarling, irinaL, and guests for the bookmarks and kudos! I really appreciate your support in this story and would love to hear your feedback!

So, this was the beginning of the apocalypse? Keila winced as she slowly pushed herself out of the worn kitchen chair, her ribs protesting her movement. Her entire body was sore from the fight that her and the hunters had against the Witnesses. She still couldn’t believe what Bobby had told them. This was basically the beginning of the end. _The start of the Apocalypse_. Her body convulsed slightly, thinking of what that meant. _Maybe my father will get what he wanted after all_. Her lips were in a tight line as she looked out the dirty window towards the darkened sky.

Keila’s mind began to wander back over the fight that occurred earlier that evening. Despite how bad it was, she was lucky. _Lucky that they didn’t see the spirit that was hell-bent on killing her._ Despite the hunter’s warnings, Keila separated herself from the rest and went to tackle her apparition head on. Which, in hindsight, was really stupid. Like, _really stupid._  But, she couldn’t risk the hunters seeing who it was, couldn’t risk the specter spilling her secrets, _because that’s exactly what it would do._

_“How would those boys feel knowing that you’re the reason that their entire life went to shit? They’d pump you full of lead before you’d even had a chance to explain yerself._ ” The Witness _wasn’t wrong_. She’s seen enough of the Winchester brothers to know that the eldest was a ‘ _shoot first, ask questions later_ ’ kind of guy. And, even though she felt herself warming up to the younger Winchester, she didn’t think that the beginning of their friendship would save her. So, she kept herself away from the hunters took the abuse that she was _so used_ to receiving, and just prayed that Bobby would finish the incantation sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, it ended up being later rather than sooner, and Keila had the bruises on her body to show it. Even though she knew that the specter that was tormenting her _wasn’t_ her father, that it was just his vessel, _that didn’t scare her any less_. No matter how many times she told herself it wasn’t him, whenever she saw that weathered face, that sinister smile, blue eyes turned yellow and her body went into flight mode.

She berated herself in the dark. _She was such a fucking weakling_. She had day dreamed _so many times_ on what she would say and do to her father if she had the chance. And, her chance came and she did _NOTHING_. All of bravado evaporated and she was left cowering. She was disgusted with herself.

A faint wind pulled through the small kitchen that she was perched in, and Keila’s eyes went wide. She held in the gasp that threatened to pool past her lips and glanced at the two hunters passed out in the study, before she turned her attention to the angel that flitted into the room.  Keila’s heart leapt into her throat as she took in the angel’s disheveled appearance, tan trench coat brushing dark dress pants, crisp white shirt clinging to broad chest and shoulders, blue tie hanging loosely around a tanned neck. Dark hair askew and pointing in all directions and baby blue eyes glowed in the dark.

Keila and the angel stared at one another, the only sound passing between the two was the shallow breathing of the half-demon in the room. Keila’s honey eyes roved over the angel, his power pulling beneath his vessels skin, swirling in intricate designs of a soft blue. The angel’s eyes worked their way over Keila at the same time, examining her oddly speckled soul, watching her powers cause the air around her to warp slightly, like heat coming off of a black top.

“Are you here for Dean?” Her voice was quiet, southern lilt breaking the tense quiet that fell between the two of them. Castiel stared at her, his gaze never wavering from her amber orbs, and it made Keila uneasy. The intensity that the angel held, it terrified her to no end. Keila stared down at her dirty boots, the pain that once pulsed throughout her body all but disappearing with the adrenaline that coursed through her veins.

“Yes and no. I am here to speak to both of you.” Keila shot her head up, amber eyes wide with fear. Why did the angel want to talk to her? Technically, Keila knew _exactly why_ the angel wanted to talk to her, but she was hoping that she was just another anomaly that seraph would overlook. _Like, that would’ve happened._

“Are you here to kill me?” There was no use to beat around the bush, Keila wanted answers. And, if she was going to die soon, she’d at least like to prepare for it a little. She squared her shoulders slightly, right arm clutched against her bruised abdomen and she stared into the aluminous eyes of the angel. Castiel cocked his head ever so slightly, staring down the woman in front of him. He could see the tension that she held in her body, the fear that shone behind her hard eyes, and the pain that rolled through her limbs. But, Castiel couldn’t help the slight tug that pulled out the corner of his lush lips.

“No, I am not here to kill you.” Keila’s entire body visibly relaxed, her shoulder hunching over, her knees buckling slightly, the milky whiteness of her knuckles dissipating into her tanned skin. Her body was still on guard, but Castiel could see some of the worry evaporate from her body. _Some, not all_. Keila was still in the presence of an angel of the Lord, she wasn’t completely at ease around this celestial being.

Keila let out a small gasp as the angel appeared directly in front of her, cerulean eyes boring into her amber ones. Her voice hitched in her throat as her eyes roamed the handsome face of the angel in front of her. She could feel small puffs of air blanketing her face as the angel stared down at her, his chest brushing gingerly against hers. Keila could feel her powers vibrating within her, reacting to the enormous amount of power that stood before her. She wondered absently if the angel felt the same intense pull that she did.  Keila felt her entire body bristle when the angel placed a large hand on her arm that was folded across her stomach.

“You are hurt.” Keila’s eyebrows furrowed as she stared up at the angel, mouth falling open slightly. Before she had a chance to speak, she felt a cool sensation wash over her body, that quickly turned into a burning sensation. She hissed and stepped away from the angel, eyes screwed shut as the pain slowly ebbed away from her body. _All of her pain_. Keila snapped her eyes open and stared down at her body in amazement. She suddenly shot her right arm up, expecting a sharp pain, but received nothing instead. She then slowly pulled the hem of her shirt up, expecting to see her stomach riddled with dark bruises, but instead saw nothing but tanned skin. She glanced up at the angel, eyes wide, with the ends of her shirt still balled up in her hand.

“Interesting. That usually does not hurt the recipient. “Castiel stepped towards her again, eyes glowing with power as he examined her face. Keila’s arm slowly began to fall, her shirt slipping out of her fist and the close proximity of the angel. She flinched away slightly as the angel raised his hand again, this time placing it gently on her cheek. She felt a coolness against her skin once again, before it was replaced shortly after with a slight burning sensation. Keila jerked her head back slightly, so that the angel’s fingertips were no longer on her face, but his body was still brushing against her slightly.

“What are you doing?” Keila glanced up at the confused angel, who was now looking intensely at his hand, before glancing back towards her.

“I healed you.” Keila’s eyebrows shot up as she stared at the angel, confusion blanketing her mind. Why did the angel heal her? _She thought that he wanted him dead._ Then, her confusion slowly began to turn into irritation, her amber eyes growing hard.

“So, knowing that it hurt me the first time, you try and do it, _again_?” Castiel furrowed his dark brows together, his pink lips falling apart ever so slightly, his eyes still glowing vibrantly in the night. The irritation in her body lessened slightly, at the befuddlement on the seraph’s face.

“I wanted to make sure. I do not understand why it hurts you, but it does not hurt others.” Keila squinted slightly at the angel, before rolling her shoulder back and sighing. She knew why it hurt her. It was the same reason that holy water burned her throat and the panic room that Bobby has in the basement makes her sick to her stomach. Before she had a chance to reply, she heard a throat clearing behind her, and her body went rigid. The angel in front of her pressed his body closer to her, as he peered over his shoulder at the figure behind her. She turned ever so slightly to see the eldest Winchester standing in the study, arms crossed across his expansive chest, and a hard look in his eye.

_“What the fuck is goin’ on?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A specials thanks to all the guests and aquetta64 for the kudos! I really appreciate your support in this story and would love to hear your feedback.

Well, this was awkward, to say the least. Keila stared wide-eyed at the eldest Winchester, like she just got caught sneaking in past curfew. His forest eyes bore into her amber ones, an unknown expression blazing in them. Keila’s mouth floundered for a moment, minute twitches that caused her to appear like a fishing gasping in air instead of water. She stepped back away from the angel, just enough that their bodies were no longer touching, but that did nothing to help the emotion that was raging inside the hunter. The angel that was in the room was unaware of the tension that was building between the two.

“Excellent job with the witnesses.” Keila’s mouth fell open as she gaped at the seraph, and exasperated look on her face. She stepped back even further, putting a good 2 feet between her and the celestial.

_Are you fucking kidding me?!_ Castiel cocked his head to the side, staring at the half-demon perplexed, furrowing his brows before returning his attention to the hunter. Who, still looked pissed as shit. His arms were crossed tightly across his chest, eyes dancing from the angel, to Keila, then back again. Keila could see the tension rising in Dean’s jaw, the muscle along his mandible clenching.

“You were hip to all this?” Castiel looked away from the hunter momentarily, glancing down to the side, before his brilliant cyan eyes captured emerald again.

“I was, uh, made aware.” Keila rolled her eyes, _of course he knew about it_. She slowly started to back out of the kitchen, taking a millimeter of a step each time, trying to go unnoticed.

“Well, thanks a lot for the angelic assistance. Ya know, I almost got my heart ripped out of my chest.” Keila winced, _she didn’t know all that happened_. When she took off on her own, so the hunters wouldn’t see the vengeful spirit that was after her, she had no idea what was happening to them. She figured they handled themselves pretty well, since they were all alive, but she didn’t know it had been _that dangerous_ on their end.

“But, you didn’t.” Keila stared wide-eyed at the seraph, taking in his nonchalance and cool demeanor, while the hunter in front of him began to boil with rage. _Tact. Use it, for God’s sake._ Castiel glanced towards Keila again, his eyebrows quirking slightly. Keila stared at him confused, brows furrowing together.

Why the fuck did he keep looking at her whenever she thought about something? It was weird. Even though she had some mental powers, Keila couldn’t actively read someone’s mind without putting them under her haze. Keila’s mind whirled with the possibilities until-

_Of course_.

Prayers. Angels could hear fuckin’ prayers. Keila could’ve face palmed right then and there. Even though she _technically_ wasn’t praying to the angel, her thoughts were about him and his boorish behavior towards the hunter, which apparently counts of some type of telepathic connection. Keila saw the edges of the angel’s mouth twitch slightly upwards and she scowled at him.

_Smug bastard_.

“I thought angels were supposed to be guardians. Fluffy wings, halos…ya know, Michael Landon, not dicks.” Sarcasm and anger was etched all in Dean’s words, his hurt from the events earlier in the day, and possibly from what just occurred, bleeding into each syllable. Castiel’s cerulean eyes grew hard, his mouth tightening into a thin line, eyes boring into Dean’s.

“Read the Bible. Angels are warriors of God. I’m a soldier.” Dean scoffed at the angel’s words, rolling his eyes in the process. He knew exactly what it meant to be a soldier. Soldiers didn’t run away when they knew there was a war brewing, they dove head long into it to protect others.

“Yeah? Then why didn’t you fight?” Castiel took a step towards the hunter, both men intimidatingly tall, squaring up to one another. Keila continued her slow creep towards the back door, hoping that the other two were too wrapped up in themselves to notice her. Dean’s hard yes cut towards her and she stopped in her tracks, like a deer caught in the headlights.

_Guess not._

“I am not here to perch on your shoulder. We had larger concerns.” Dean took step towards the angel, the space between the two growing smaller and smaller. They were in arm’s length of each other now, close enough that damage could be done. Though, Keila thought it didn’t matter how close or far away someone was from an angel, _they could still smite your ass._

“Concerns? There were people getting torn to shreds down here! And, by the way, while all of this is goin’ on, where the hell is your boss, huh? If there is a God?” The bitter tone of Dean’s voice made Keila flinch slightly. It was the sound of someone who had their hopes and dreams crushed, all optimism escaping their life and only left with the cruel reality. Keila couldn’t blame Dean for questioning everything. He faced more pain than any other person on the planet right now. _The man went to Hell and back, of course he doesn’t believe in God_.

“There is a God.”  Castiel’s sharp words cut through the dark room, but it didn’t help ease any of the tension that was rolling off of the hunter in front of him.

“I’m not convinced. Cause, if there’s a God, what the hell is he waiting for, huh? Genocide? Monsters roaming the Earth? _The freakin’ apocalypse?_ At what point does he lift a damn finger and help the poor bastards that are stuck down here?” Castiel stared hard at the eldest Winchester, his shoulders squaring ever so slightly.

“The Lord works- “

“If you say, ‘ _in mysterious ways_ ’ so help me, I _will_ kick your ass.” Dean let out a large huff through his nose, running his massive hair through his cropped hair. “So, Bobby was right…about the witnesses. This is some kinda…sign of the apocalypse.” Castiel continued to stare at the hunter, eyes never wavering. Keila felt her stomach knot up, hearing this conversation that wasn’t meant for her.

“That’s why we are here. Big things afoot.” Dean’s shoulders sagged, all of his weight dropping toward his right side, hip jutting out slightly and knee bending slightly.

“Do I want to know what kind of things?” Castiel glanced briefly at Keila, before returning his focus to Dean. That contact did not go unnoticed by the hunter.

“I sincerely doubt it, but you need to know. The rising of the witnesses is one of the sixty-six seals.” Dean’s eyebrow arched slightly.

“Okay, I’m guessing that’s not a show at Sea World.” His snide remark went right over the celestial’s head, and Castiel continued on with mini-tirade.

“Those seals are being broken by Lilith.” Keila’s blood ran cold at the name of the demon. Lilith was someone that she _did not_ want to cross paths with. She knew all about her. Hell, her dad and Lilith were pretty buddy-buddy before the Winchesters killed him. _Lilith had even been one of the ones to ‘train’ her._

“She did the spell. She rose the witnesses.” The angel nodded slightly at the hunter’s words.

“Mm-hmm. And, just not here. Twenty other hunters are dead.” Dean shook his head ever so slightly, looking down and the dingy floors, before looking back towards the seraph, eyes shining with a fierce emotion.

“Of course. She picked victims that the hunters couldn’t save so that they would barrel right after us.”

“Lilith has a sense of humor.” Keila scowled at the angel’s comment. _He wasn’t wrong_. The way that Lilith worked, she made sure that the pain someone felt wasn’t just physical, but also mental, _emotional_. She would find a weak point, then poke and prod at it until the victim finally broke, whether it’d be from broken bones, a destroyed psyche, or emotional torture. _Keila was well aware of all them._

“Well, we put those spirits back to rest.” A small huff could be heard from the angel.

“It doesn’t matter. The seal was broken.” Dean straightening back up again, taking offense at what the angel had said. Like, the work that him and his brother did, _didn’t matter_.

“Why break the seal anyway?” Castiel’s eyes bore into Dean’s, unnerving the hunter from their intensity. _They were so damn blue…_

“You think of the seals as locks on a door.” Dean knitted his eyebrows, confused.

“Okay, last one opens and…” his voice trailed off, eyebrows raised, hoping for an explanation.

“Lucifer walks free.” Keila’s mind blanked at the mention of the arch angel’s name. _He was the whole reason she came into existence anyway._ Her father drove into her head time and time again, how much of a failure she was, because she was _supposed to be the perfect vessel for Lucifer_. The mixture of a demonic seed and human, so when he took the vessel, not only would it be able to contain him, but it would also amplify his powers with the dark energy that pulsed within it. However, her father didn’t expect _any of this_.

“Lucifer? But, I thought Lucifer was just a story they told at demon Sunday school. There’s no such thing.”  The angel did not try to hide the large scoff that passed his pink lips, eyes glaring at the hunter.

“Three days ago, you thought there was no such thing as me. Why do you think we’re here walking among you now for the first time in 2,000 years?” Dean’s eyes dawned with the sudden realization of it all.

“To stop Lucifer.”

“That’s why we have arrived.” Dean’s eyes suddenly went dark, a small snarl pulling across his lips.

“Well, bang-up job so far. Stellar work with the witnesses, that’s nice.” Before the hunter could even blink, the seraph was I his face, chest brushing his, eyes burning into emeralds.

“We _tried_. And, there are other battles, other seals. Some we’ll win, some we’ll lose. This one, we lost. Our numbers are not unlimited. Six of my brothers died in the field this week. You think _the armies of Heaven_ should just follow you around? _There’s a bigger picture here_. You should show me some respect. I dragged you out of Hell, _I can throw you back in._ ” Before Keila or Dean could blink, Castiel was gone. A soft fluttering echoing throughout the small kitchen. Keila stared wide-eyed at the hunter, taking in his hard face, squared shoulders, and clenched fists.

Then, his eyes were on her, jaded forest eyes blazing into honey. Keila felt a sense of dread was over her. The eldest Winchester was already mad at her for abandoning them when it came to fight the witnesses, and she was still licking her wounds from that verbal thrashing.

“ _Honey,_ we need to talk. _Now._ ”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I want to apologize for not updating last week! My internet went out and it took my provider forever to fix it. But, anyways! I want to thank aquetta64, BealzADarling, and guests for kudoing! Also, a huge shout out to Cassidy for reviewing and giving me constructive criticism to help me become a better writer! I love hearing back from y'all!

“What the _fuck_ was that?” There was no missing the harshness that laced Dean’s voice. His emerald eyes shone with a fierce intensity that Keila never had directed towards her. His shoulders were squared off, jaw clenching, hands balled into tight fists. Keila only ever saw Dean look at the monsters that they had faced in their short time together, it was never towards her. _Well, not until now._

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.” Her eyes bore into his chest, not wavering from that spot. Her back was ram rod straight, her knees locked into place. She looked like a soldier, her body rigid. Dean scowled at her, arms folding across his chest, eyes glaring down at her.

“You don’t know what I’m talkin’ about? _Seriously?_ How about you talkin’ to a _freakin’ angel_! Let’s talk about _THAT_.” Keila’s body didn’t move an inch, eyes still focused on the vast expanse of Dean’s chest. But, on the inside? On the inside, Keila was freaking out. Her heart was pounding in her chest; she could hear her blood rushing past her ears. Years of buried mannerisms slowly began to resurface as she faced the angry hunter.

“I don’t know what you want me to tell you, Dean. I heard somethin’ in the kitchen, I got up to see what it was, and there was this dude standing in the middle of it.” Her voice was calm, betraying how she truly felt, and her eyes showed no emotion. Unbeknownst to her, Keila had reverted back to her old ways, the ways that she dealt with her father. She concealed her true thoughts with ramblings of poetry or music. She didn’t let her body convey what she was truly feeling. And, she _never_ let him see how scared she truly was. Just. Like. Now.

Dean narrowed his eyes at the stoic girl in front of him, his mind racing. Something was off about her. Her demeanor had completely changed once he entered the kitchen. He woke up when he heard shuffling in the kitchen and a sharp intake of breath. On high alert from the altercation with the Witnesses earlier, he was expecting the worst. But, that _still_ didn’t prepare for what he had seen.

Keila and Castiel, chest to chest, staring into each other’s eyes. Shock washed over Dean when he first saw them, but it was quickly replaced with the bubbling of something that he _couldn’t quite place hos finger on_.

All he knew, _is he didn’t like them standing that close together._

Keila looked almost _relaxed_ in Castiel’s presence. Her shoulders sagged lightly, her hip was cocked out slightly as she stared up at him. Nothing how she looked at him right now. Right now, it looked as if she was about to return to war with the knowledge of not coming back from it. Her face was a blank canvas, eyes not even looking into his, standing straight up and unmoving. _It was pissing him off_.

“So, you’re tellin’ me, that you just saw him standin’ there in the kitchen, and you don’t think to get anybody? To tell _someone_?” He wanted a reaction out of her, something to help this _anger_ that was building up in his chest to fade away. But, she continued to stare at his chest with a blank face, voice calm, cool, and collected.

“It caught me off guard, I wasn’t thinkin’ right.”

“Just like you weren’t thinkin’ right when you ran off when we told you to _stay with us_.” Ah, that did it. Keila’s eyes hardened at Dean’s words, her sharp gaze tearing away from his chest and boring into his eyes. Her chest puffed out ever so slightly, her shirt tightening across her bosom as the pulse point in her neck throbbed so hard it was visible to see in the moonlight.

“I told you, _I could handle it myself._ ” Her voice was tight, words barely pushing past her plump lips. She really thought that she _could_ handle it herself. But, the irrational side of her brain took over, and she was useless.

Dean let out a humorless chuckle before he spoke to her again.

“That’s why you came back bruised with your tail between your legs like an abused puppy, right?” Keila’s nostrils flared ever so slightly as she screwed her eyes shut, taking in a deep breath, before slowly expelling it. Her golden gaze pierced Dean’s as a small smirked played on her lips.

“Well, from what I heard, you didn’t fair to well yourself.” Dean scowled down at the woman, taking a step towards her, until his forearms were bumping up against her. He stared down the bridge of his nose at her, as she continued to glare up at him. The tension between the two caused the space that they were in to appear smaller, like they were both confined in this tiny box, waiting to break out.

“What were you doing with him?” Keila huffed out a laugh, shaking her head slightly, staring back up at the hunter, eyes exasperated.

“I told you, Dean. I heard something in the kitchen. He was there. He healed me. That’s it.” Dean’s eyes went wide as she spoke, taking a step back slightly as his eyes roved over her body. Keila didn’t realize her mistake until it was too late, and she mentally berated herself.

_Stupid. So stupid_.

“He _healed_ you?” She could hear the doubt in Dean’s voice, and suddenly all the energy and adrenaline that she had built up in her body washed out of her. She was _tired_. And, at that very moment, all she wanted to do was sleep.

“Yes, Dean. _Healed me_. Put his fingers to my forehead and boom, no more pain. Keila lazily raised her right arm, waving it around a little, before to took her pointer finger and middle finger, keeping them together as she gently tapped the hunter’s forehead. Dean blinked at her, looking at her suspiciously as she lowered her arm.

“That’s all?” Keila rolled her eyes at the hunter, her will to keep this argument going evaporating. She just wanted to curl up in a chair somewhere and sleep. She nodded her head slowly, hair falling over her shoulders and down her chest, brushing against the thin material of her shirt.

Dean stared at her for a minute longer, before he nodded his head slowly, turning his body to the side so that she could walk past him and back into the study. Keila slowly trudged her way towards the study, but stopped at the opening that separated the two rooms.

“Why didn’t you tell us what he really wanted, Dean?” Keila glanced over her shoulder took look at the hunter, his brows pulled together in concentration. He looked up at her, eyes shining.

“Why didn’t you stay with us against the Witnesses?” Keila turned her head slightly, looking at the peeling wallpaper, a small sigh escaping her lips, before she turned back towards the hunter.

“I didn’t want to burden you with my problems.” Dean stared hard at her as she walked into the study, crawling into Bobby’s oversized chair and making herself comfortable. He looked towards his little brother, whose long legs were slung over the arm of the couch, mouth open slightly as soft snores billowed out.

“ _Same_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Pandorixca for the kudos! I really appreciate y'alls support in this story and would love to hear your feedback!

The next morning was awkward, to say the least. Keila avoided the eldest Winchester like the plague, making sure she was never in the line of sight of the green eyed hunter. Sam was oblivious to the whole thing, more intrigued by what Castiel had told Dean last night. And, at the fact that Keila had met the angel.

“What was he like?” Keila glanced up from her spot on the front porch steps and up towards the hunter towering over her. She couldn’t help the small smile that broke across her lips at his face, eyes wide and a small smile tugging at the corner.  She brought up her left hand to shield her eyes from the mid-day sun, before speaking.

“I dunno, looked like a normal dude.” The youngest Winchester huffed, dropping his body down beside her, extending his long legs down the stairs, almost touching the dirt of the driveway. He leaned back on his elbows, shirt stretching across his chest, before throwing his head back and whining, dark hair falling.

“Dean said he looked like a tax accountant.” Keila couldn’t stop the snort that erupted from her nose. _Dean’s description was pretty accurate_.  He did look like someone that could help her get back some money on her taxes, _if she ever did them._ She glanced out of the corner of her eye and studied the young hunter. The _chosen one_. The one, that for so long, she hated. Always comparing her to him, _always being compared to him_. When she finally broke away from her father, that hatred turned into remorse, guilt, _but the jealousy was always there_.

“Eh, I guess that’s a pretty accurate description of what he looks like. He kinda talks like a robot.” Sam whipped his head around to look at her, a toothy grin pulling across his handsome face. He scooched his upper body towards her a little, until his shoulder was barely skimming hers.

“What’d he sound like?” Keila stared into the wide hazel eyes of the hunter and felt her heart lurch. Even though Sam never showed it physically, his eyes never lied. She could see the sadness in them, the dark swirling torment that always filled his mind, masked by a thinly veiled false happiness.

_Just like hers_.

“He talked as if he had never heard on contractions before. He also sounds like his vocal cords had been dragged along a long, gravel road.” Keila dropped her voice as low as it could go her raspy-ness still nowhere near close to the angels. She coughed a little after her jest, her throat itching from attempting such a deep octave, but she got what she was looking for.

Sam burst into laughter, his shoulder gently shuddering against hers as he threw his head back and bellowed out. His laughter was contagious, and before she knew it, Keila was laughing alongside of him, her head leaning towards his shoulder, before making contact with it and staying there. Once their laughter died down, chests heaving and smiles on their lips, Sam spoke again.

“You’re kidding, right? That’s really what he sounded like?” Keila lifted her head up slightly, pulling her hair out from underneath it, before setting it back on Sam’s shoulders and nodding.

“I shit you not, Sambo, that’s exactly what it sounded like.” The nickname slipped out before she even realized it, and her body froze up momentarily. She couldn’t see the youngest Winchester’s face, so she had no idea how he reacted to it. Cursing herself slightly, Keila was in the process of removing her head from his shoulder, when she felt a deep rumble from his chest.

“Sambo, huh? Does that mean I get to call you KeKe?” Keila’s mouth dropped open slightly, before she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, trying to fight off the massive grin that was attempting to break across her face. She could feel pressure building up behind her eyes as her emotions took over, a sense of acceptance washing over.

“If it makes you feel better, Sambo.”  Her voice broke slightly, and she quickly covered it up with a fake cough, pulling her head off of Sam’s shoulders and leaning forward slightly. Placing her elbows on her knees, and holding her head up in her hand, she looked out at the barren salvage yard, battling the emotions that she was feeling inside.

This was the first time, in well, _EVER_ , that Keila felt that she was where she was supposed to be. That she belonged somewhere, and she wasn’t a burden, or a mistake, or a _failure_. She was just herself, _as much as herself that she could be_ and she was content with that. She glanced over at the hazel eyed hunter and smiled to herself. He was staring out at the salvage yard too, a loose smile on his lips, his body relaxed, hair blowing gently in the breeze. Azazel’s daughter, befriending Azazel’s prodigy.

_Who would’ve thought?_

“Just don’t’ call me that around Dean, I don’t need him giving me another stupid nickname.” Sam turned towards the beautiful woman that was mumbling beside him, and couldn’t help but smile gently. He would’ve never thought that he could find another kindred spirit like his. Who experienced that same loss and adversaries that he had.

“What? You don’t like it when he calls you _Honey_?” Sam watched with fascination as a red blush crawled up Keila’s chest and onto her neck, painting her cheeks with the same pink tinge. His gently smile broke out into a wolfish grin as he pushed himself up and wrapped a massive hand around her shoulder, pulling her into him.

“ _Oh_. So, you _do_ like it when he calls you _Honey_?” He howled out in laughter as Keila’s petite hand smacked against his hard chest as she attempted to scramble away from him. Sam didn’t relinquish his grip on her, continuing to hold her tight as he chuckled into her ear, enjoying the embarrassment that he was causing.

“Oh, KeKe, it’s okay! I’m just messing around with you!” Keila looked up into Sam’s playful eyes, before dropping her head onto his shoulder again.

“It’s not my fault your family was blessed with good looks.” It was Keila’s turn this time to laugh at the blush that crept up Sam’s neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to the guests who gave kudos to this story! I really appreciate your support in this story and would love to hear ya'lls feedback!

**I’m Not the Devil, But I Won’t Be Your Hero**

**Ch. 18**

The scenery flashed by red sports car as it sped down the empty highway, a black, classic muscle car leading the way. Keila sat behind the steering wheel, right hand propped on the wheel, her left pressed against her cheek as her elbow rested on the lip of the driver’s window. Her left leg was pulled up, heel pressed into the heated leather, knee leaning against the door while her right was pressed lightly against the gas pedal. Not the safest way to drive, but definitely the most comfortable.

Keila’s eyes lazily focused on the black Impala in front of her, watching it steadily cruise down the highway. She sighed and lifted her back off the seat, it sticking slightly to the black leather. _She was so tired of driving_. They had been on the road for five hours now, and Keila was ready to pull over and stretch her legs. But, the leader of the pack just _wasn’t having it_. She groaned again as the zoomed past another exit, the irritation in her body rising slightly.

Keila grumbled to herself as her hand reached blindly towards her iPod that lay in the passenger seat. Without taking her eyes off the road, she scrolled through songs until it landed on one that she enjoyed. Dropping it back on the seat, she began to softly sing along with the song, her southern lilt filling the car.

“ _She calls me Goliath and I wear the David mask_

_I guess the stones are coming too fast for her now_

_You know I'd like to believe this nervousness will pass_

_All the stones that are thrown are building up a wall_

_I have become cumbersome to this world_

_I have become cumbersome to my girl”_

She could barely hear her phone going off over the music, and with a dramatic sigh, she turned down the music before answering the call.

“Hello?”

“ _Keila, hey, it’s Sam. Just wanted to let you know we’re getting off at the next exit to get some gas and find a room for the night.”_ Keila couldn’t stop the sigh of relief that escaped her lips, and smiled down at the phone.

“Thank God, dude. I’ve been waitin’ for ya’ll to pull off for three hours!” She could hear chuckle over the line, before a muffled ‘ _What’s so funny_ ’.

“ _It’s nothing, Dean. And, yeah I feel you on that, Keila. I’ve been waiting for the same thing.”_ Keila couldn’t stop the smile that broke across her face when she heard another muffled, _‘Waiting on wait?_ ’

“ _None of you damn business, Dean.”_ Then there was a yelp, and Keila watched as the car in front of her swerved, the sound of a struggle coming over the line, before a gruff voice spoke.

“ _What are you school girls gigglin’ about?”_ Keila rolled her eyes at Dean, even though he couldn’t see them, she was pretty sure he felt them through the phone.

“I am almost 100% positive that your brother told you it was none of your business. And, who am I to break his trust by telling you?”  She cackles slightly when she heard the resigned sigh, followed by a ‘ _Y’all fuckin’ suck_ ’ before the phone was handed off again and Sam’s gentle voice filtered through.

“ _Sorry ‘bout that. Dean’s an asshole.”_ A shout could be heard from across the line, which was quickly cut off by Sam talking over it.

“ _But, yeah. I was just letting you know so you don’t get lost and stuff. We’ll see you at the motel.”_ Keila said a quick goodbye, tossing her phone in the passenger seat along with her iPod, and turned the radio back up, frowning slightly when she noticed her song was over. Glancing towards her passenger seat quickly, she grabbed her iPod and restarted the song, because _dammit she wanted to listen to it_.

It didn’t take them long to pull off the highway into some po-dunk little town, that only had two red lights, three gas stations, a McDonald’s, and a run-down motel. Keila scowled as they pulled up to the motel, taking in the dingy appearance and frowning at how the rooms could be accessed from the outside.

_Not safe._

She climbed out of her car slowly, throwing her hands up over her head and leaning back, stretching her back and legs. She shook her body out slightly, before she walked over to the two hunters who were pulling their duffle bags out of the back of their trunk. Sam glanced towards her as she approached, giving her a small smile. Dean glanced up at her, before returning his attention back to the heavy duffle bag that he hoisted over his shoulder.

Keila leaned her hip against the black beauty, watching the two brothers interact. A small smile graced her lips, before she pushed herself off of the car and headed towards the main office of the motel.

“I’m gonna go ahead and get the rooms. Y’all want two beds, right?” Sam and Dean both looked up at her startled as Keila began to saunter towards the office.

“ _Honey,_ you ain’t getting’ our room. We got it.” Keila glanced over her shoulder, smirking to herself a little; before she turned her head back around and kept walking.

“It’s the least I can do for y’all after dragging me around like a lost puppy. But, you can make it up to me by getting’ my bag outta my trunk.” She turned around just enough to toss her keys straight into the hunter’ chest, before the hit the asphalt with a clatter.

As Keila opened the door, it made a horrible chiming noise, like the battery was starting to go dead. She held her breath as the stench of stale cigarette smoke invaded her nostrils, as she plastered on a fake smile for the portly man behind the desk. She could see his eyes roving over her body, and her smile quickly dropped, eyes flashing yellow.

The man’s eyes glazed over, a scene of her sauntering up to the counter, bending over to show some cleavage and asking for two rooms played in this man’s mind, followed by the beauty paying for both rooms in full, receipts given and the room keys just waiting to be delivered. Keila’s eyes gradually faded into their honey gold, a small smirk still tugging at the edge of her lips as she watched the man behind the counter fumble around for the keys.

“H-Here you go, ma’am.” Keila smiled sweetly at the man, before plucking the keys out of his sweaty and turning on her heels sharply, the dying beep signaling her exit from the office. Once she was outside, she saw the brother’s leaned up against their car, Sam with a duffle bag around his shoulder, while Dean had two strapped around his. She walked up to the hunters, holding out a key.

“Here you go, your rooms is 103. I’m in room 105.” Sam gingerly took the key from her, before he turned around slightly, looking down his back and digging around in his pocket, before he pulled out his wallet.

“Okay, so how much do we-“Keila held up her hand, shaking her head, before she grabbed her duffle bag from Dean and made her way down to her room.

“It’s on me. Now, give me 15 minutes and we’ll go eat. I’m craving a Big Mac.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to SlightlyObsessedWithShips, Katie, GuardianDemon, and guest fro the reviews and kudos! I really appreciate y'alls support in the story and would love to hear your feedback!

Golden eyes snapping open, Keila looked around blearily before realizing she was no longer in her motel room. Sitting up abruptly, she winced, holding her head in her hands. Her head was pounding, the dull ache spreading across her forehead and down below her eyes.

“ _Fuck_ , what the hell did I do last night?” Keila attempted to collect her thoughts, drawing last night’s memories to the fore front of her mind, siphoning through them. She remembered taking a shower, going to eat shitty McDonald’s with the Winchester brothers, then returning back to their designated rooms to sleep. She couldn’t recall one drop of alcohol being consumed the entire night. And, with her powers, Keila could recall every memory that she had with absolute clarity, even when she was blacked out drunk.

 _Which she wasn’t last night_.

Which begs to her next question, _where the fuck was she_?

She opened her eyes slowly, the ache behind her eyes increasing with the brightness of the day as she took un her surroundings. She was entrapped by beautiful greenery, massive pine trees, billowing gently in the morning breeze. Her hands dug into the loose gravel that was beneath her, as she slowly rolled to one side, knee coming up under her so that she could slowly stumble into a standing position.

Staggering like a drunk, she slowly made her way down the gravel path, eyes flitting back and forth across the path, looking at the beauty that nature had to offer. She smiled to herself slightly, breathing in the crisp, clean air, watching the world slowly begin to wake up around her. Even with her belief system shaky, Keila always believed in the back of her mind, that there was someone out there who created all of this. Whether it be God, the Great Spirit, whatever deity, _something had to make this beautiful world._

Hand wrapping tightly around her torso, Keila realized that her signature olive green bomber jacket wasn’t covering her upper body. Shivering slightly, Keila attempted to pull down the ¾ sleeves of her heather gray and black sleeved shirt down past her elbows, attempting to cover as much skin as possibly. Her attempt was pretty futile, because it did nothing to warm the chill in her bones. Her long, dark denim clad legs picked up their pace ever so slightly, her high tops crunching against the gravel below her.

Carding her hand through her dark tresses, Keila’s eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, her eyes fervently glancing across the pathway. _She didn’t remember any of this at all_. And, that was a strange feeling for her. When they rolled into that small, po-dunk town last night, she never remembered passing any parks on the way in. And, she knew that she didn’t venture any further than the motel last night. So, _where in the fuck was she?_

Coming to a stop, Keila screwed her eyes hut again and pilfered through her mind, trying to think of any place that would resemble to where she was at right now. Her mind was like a massive projector, images coming up, flittering on the screen for a moment, before being discarded and put away. She didn’t know how long she surveyed her memories, but when she opened her eyes again, she could hear the slight muffled sounds of every day noises filtering through the massive pines.

“Well, that’s gotta be somethin’ good, right?” Muttering to herself, Keila made her way towards the noise, her feet taking her off the graveled path and through the damp woods. Her ears focused on the hustle and bustle of what she hoped was the town, but her eyes were taking in the wildlife around her. Squirrels jumping from tree to tree, birds flittering through air, those damned mosquitos waking up from the slumber and bombarding her exposed skin with bites.

“ _Motherfucker!_ ” She hissed to herself, slapping her arms and waving a hand frantically in front of her face, trying to escape the cloud of blood suckers that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. She quickened her pace, mind solely focused on escaping the 7th layer of Hell which was known as the forest and its stupid mosquito occupants.

Keila almost cried in joy when she saw the trees begin to thin out, her eyes landing on the black asphalt of a road. Heart leaping in her throat, Keila broke out into a small jog, which led into a light sprint, before she was panting heavily as her Converse slapped against the hot black top. Once she was out of the cover of the woods, Keila took in her surroundings, eyes still holding their confused expression. She was in a small town, but she doesn’t remember it being the small town that they pulled into last night.

She jumped when a loud honk pulled her out of her stupor, handing flying to her chest. Her eyes were wide as she focused in on a sharp dressed man glaring at her through the front windshield of his car. _His very nice, very classic_ _car_. Keila raised her eyebrows in awe as she took in the baby blue 1970 Ford Mustang in front of her. Her mouth fell open slightly, before she jumped again at another honk.

“You gonna move, sweetheart? Some of us have places to be.” Keila looked down sheepishly, scurrying to the side of the road and apologizing profusely as the man sped past her.  Her eyes continued to follow the classic car, a small whistle blowing past her lips.

“Man, that thing looked brand spankin’ new. It must’ve cost him a fortune to refurbish that thing.” That made her mind wander to the two hunters that she currently traveled with, wondering how much they spent to keep their car, or as Dean called it, _‘Baby’_ , in such good condition. Her stomach dropped a little, thinking about the two hunters.

 _Shit_.

They had no idea where she was. Slapping her hands around her lower body, Keila let out an audible groan, head falling forward, her dark her creating a curtain around her face. _She left her fuckin’ cell phone in the hotel room_. She remembered plugging it open and setting in on the side table by her twin bed before she passed out. _Before she ended up wherever the hell she was_.

She groaned again, walking towards the center of town, people slowly coming out of shops to start their day. When the first odd glance came her way, she just ignored it. Assumed that it was still early in the morning that people were still waking up. Hell, she was guilty of accidently giving people rude looks due to her RBF, resting bitch face. But, as she continued her way down the side walk, she realized it wasn’t just people’s resting face, they were turning around as they passed and _actively looking at her_.

Keila felt herself bristling, her defenses going up as she began to meet the stares head on, making those passing her on the small sidewalk either turn away in shame, or just all out avoid her. _Rude ass people, just cause you never saw me before doesn’t mean I’m here to eat ya damn children._ Keila stopped at what appeared to be the center of the town, and noticed a diner across the street.

As if on cue, her stomach grumbled loudly, and she placed her hands on it gently, as if trying to placate it. She quickly looked both ways before she crossed the street, not wanting another repeat from what happened earlier this morning. As she approached the diner, she couldn’t stop the small grimace on her face. It reminded her of a Waffle House. It didn’t matter if they just built the damn thing, it always looked like it came straight out of the 70’s, with dingy floors and wood paneling. Keila wasn’t a prude or anything, but she liked to eat at places that didn’t look like they were _infested with bugs_.

She bit her lip as she pushed open the glass door, eyes glancing up at her, before either returning back to their conversation or their menus. But, there was one set of eyes that did a double take, wide and disbelieving. Keila’s own eyes widened as they took in the person seated at the counter in front of them, amber orbs piercing into emerald.

“ _Dean?!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off, I want to apologize for the long wait for this chapter. I was on vacation, and lets be honest, you can't get anything done on vacation.  
> Secondly, I want to thank all of the guests who kudo'd this story. I really appreciate your support in this story and would love to hear y'alls feedback!

“ _Honey,_ what the hell are you doing here?”

Keila rolled her eyes as she approached the eldest Winchester, slowly sliding into the stool next to him. Placing her elbows on the counter, she slowly swiveled her stool to face him, taking in his appearance. His green button up was wrinkled underneath his massive leather jacket. His hair was a disheveled, but not the coif dishevelment she was used, it looked more out of place than usual. His 5 o’ clock was coming in strong, and she could see the dark bags forming under his eyes.

“Had a rough night?” Dean gave her a sideways glance, an annoyed expression planted on his face. His eyes roved Keila’s body, noting her wrinkled baseball t-shirt, dirt covered jeans, and muddied Converse. Her naturally wavy hair held a ‘just-rolled-out-of-bed’ appearance to it, and… _was that pine straw in her hair?_

“Clearly, not as rough as yours.” Dean reached up and gingerly untangled the straw piece out of Keila’s dark waves, causing a small blush to creep across her cheeks as he tossed the offending piece to the ground. She ran her tanned hand through her hair, trying to calm it and grimaced, feeling the massive knots that were hidden within the curls. People always complimented her on her luscious waves, but never knew of what it really consisted of, which was just a bunch of knots passing off has nice hair.

“Yeah, well I woke up not knowing where the hell I was, and I _swore_ I went to bed sober.” Keila glanced over at Dean, hoping that he would recount some of what happened last night, but he was too busy looking around the diner. Something didn’t sit right with him, but he didn’t know exactly what it was.

“We’re in Lawrence, Kansas.” Keila’s blood ran cold as soon as those words passed Dean’s lips. _Why in the hell were they in his hometown_? Keila masked the turmoil that was going on in her mind, while Dean continued to look around, taking in his surroundings. The guy beside him was kind enough to let him know where the hell they were at, but that’s about as far as he got in his little investigation before Keila waltzed through the door.

Dean glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, watching her swivel her chair slightly back and forth, her bottom lip tugged between her teeth. Her feet kicked slightly underneath her, a tick he noticed her do whenever her feet weren’t planted on the ground. She caught his eyes momentarily, before he looked down and shoved his hand into his pocket, pulling out his phone.

Clicking on the home screen, he grumbled to himself when he noticed that he had no service in the diner.  He held his phone up a little higher, waving it around dramatically before sighing and dropping it down again. He slowly turned to the man that had helped him out earlier.

“Can you tell me where I can get reception on this thing?” Dean gestured to the phone in his hand as the man turned towards him, eyebrows furrowed. He stared at what Dean was holding for a solid five seconds, before he looked up at him, confusion etched across his face.

“The U.S.S Enterprise?” Dean’s face deadpanned as he stared at the man, but he could clearly hear the small chuckle that sounded off behind him. He swiveled his stool around slowly, his face still holding the same expression as he turned to face Keila. She just grinned at him, head resting in her had as it was propped up against the counter.

“’s not funny.” Her grin spread even wider across her face, feet kicking a little more wildly beneath her.

“I thought it was hilarious.” Dean couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at the corner of his lips, scoffing, which caused Keila to chuckle again. He didn’t know why, but Dean relished the warm sensation that ran through his bloodstream whenever Keila laughed. It seemed to be warmer when _he was the cause of her laughter_. Movement out of his peripheral pulled them both out as a man who was dressed atrociously placed a cup of coffee in front of Dean. Keila noticed his attire and furrowed her eyes a little bit, noticing how the costume seem _a little too authentic_.

“Thanks.” Dean, paused as he went to grab his cup of coffee, taking in the waiter’s outfit as well.

“Nice threads. Ya know Sonny and Cher broke up, right?” Keila’s faced watched as the man’s face fell into shock and horror. He looked a Dean, before muttering under his breath, ‘ _Sonny and Cher broke up?_ ’ Keila watched the waiter walk away, her brows furrowed in confusion, before she heard Dean mumble under his breath. She glanced towards Dean as the bell to the entrance chimed behind them.

“Hey, Winchester!” Keila looked up at the man that was sitting on the other side of Dean, who was grinning towards Dean. Keila’s confusion began to grow, until she saw another body walk up from behind her.

“Son of a bitch, How’re you doing, Corporal?” Keila’s mouth dropped as she took in the young man in front of her. He was tall and lean, but she could see under his bulky black leather jacket, _that looked eerily like one that Dean had_ , there was definition of muscles. Her eyes continued to scan the young man, his conversation with the gentleman sitting beside Dean falling on deaf ears. He had deep hazel eyes, that seemed to flicker between brown and green, _just like Sam’s._ Keila’s heart leapt in her throat as her mind began to connect the dots.

Her eyes darted from the man, to Dean, back to the man, then back to Dean again. She could see the cogs in Dean’s mind turning, before the same realization donned his eyes, and he looked up at the young man, who was probably the same age as him, with astonishment and admiration.

“ _Dad?_ ”

Keila’s mouth dropped wide open, her stomach rolling, nausea crawling through her body.

_No. No, no, no, no._

John Winchester was _DEAD_. She watched him sell his soul to save Dean’s life, she was hiding out in the waiting room acting like a concerned family member of someone else in the hospital. _He wasn’t alive anymore_.

Suddenly, John Winchester turned towards both of them, hazel eyes locking onto Keila first, before drifting over to Dean, who held such an intense look. John’s dark brows furrowed ever so slightly, his pink tongue darting out across his bottom lip, which Keila remembered Dean did _a lot_.

“Do we know each other?” Keila could see the sadness roll through Dean’s entire body as he stared at his father, that had no idea who he was. Dean’s tongue darted out, much like his father had just done, and cleared his throat.

“I guess not.” John nods his head slowly, before turning his attention towards Keila, an easy smile falling onto his lips. Keila’s eyes widened slightly, she’d never seen John Winchester smile in all the times that she followed them. His eyes crinkled slightly as he stared down at her, his shoulders falling back in a relaxed manner.

“Now, I know I would remember somebody as lovely as you.” Keila could feel the heat crawling up her neck and onto her cheeks. John chuckled lightly, before turning back towards Dean, nodding his head towards him.

“Take it easy, pal.” John began to saunter towards the door, turning his head back towards Keila ever so slightly, before winking at her and exiting the diner. Keila just sat there, mouth slightly a gape as she watched the notorious John Winchester leave. Blood rushed to Keila’s ears, her mind cranked into maximum overdrive as she tried to piece together what was happening. But, she was knocked out of her reverie when she felt her back begin to tingle. She swivels in her stool to see Dean’s sharp green eyes boring into her figure, his jaw clenching ever so slightly.

“ _Did my dad just HIT on you?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Bethany+Washington, TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsG, nods, and all the guests who commented and kudo'd! Y'all seriously don't know how much I appreciate your support in the story. I love hearing y'alls feedback, it always makes my day! So, don't be shy!

“Come on, let’s go.” Keila snapped out of her daze and turned towards the hunter sitting beside her, his green eyes shining with some emotion she couldn’t quite place her finger on. She furrowed her eyebrows at him, watching him slap a $5 bill on the counter, before sliding out of his seat and heading towards the door.

Keila silently slid out of the seat and trailed behind the eager hunter, coming to an abrupt stop when the diner door slammed shut in her face, the annoying jingle from the bell above her ringing out. Keila cursed the hunter as she shoved the door forward, the metal handle connecting with the exterior of the building with excessive.

“Slow the fuck down, Dean. Jesus.” Keila saw the hunter disappear around the corner, and let out an aggravated huff. She understood, really, she did. Dean just saw his dad, _his dead dad_ , and she didn’t blame him for acting this way. _But, holy fuck if he wasn’t just thinking about himself right now._ He was so wrapped up in the fact that he just found his dad, that he wasn’t asking the serious questions. _Like, how the fuck the ended up in the 70’s._ Keila rolled her eyes and made her way around the corner of the building, before she smacked into a sturdy figure.

“ _Shit!_ ” Keila pulled her face out of the rock hard surface, wincing as she rubbed her nose, trying to dispel the pain that was traveling up the bridge. Before she could even stop it, she sneezed rapid fire three times, her eyes watering. Through bleary eyes, Keila could see that the mass that she ran into was none other than Dean Winchester, and apparently he was completely oblivious to her. Glaring, Keila opened her mouth, but quickly shut it when she saw who was standing in front of the hunter.

“Castiel…” The angel quirked his dark brow, the corner of his lips twitching ever so slightly, before he returned his attention back to the handsome hunter in front of him.

“What is this?” Dean’s voice held a hard edge to it, and Keila glanced at him nervously. Even though she had been the hunter’s company now for a few weeks, that still didn’t stop the fear that she held for him. Keila knew what Dean was capable of, and she would always hold that fear that one day it would be directed towards her.

“What does it look like?” The angel’s voice was deep, calming almost. Keila slowly worked her way up beside the hunter, glancing around the small town square, taking it in.

“Is it real?” Keila looked towards Dean, noting the look of longing in his eye. With her special abilities, Keila was usually able to read people easily. She had a harder time with the hunters, but every now and then, she would get a glimpse of what they were feeling.

“Very.” She heard a slight intake from Dean, before his eyes danced around his surroundings, narrowing in on where she assumed his father went. Out of her peripheral, she saw his fists clench ever so slightly, before he spoke again.

“Okay, so what? Angels got their hands on some DeLoreans? How did I get here?” Castiel didn’t seem to catch onto Dean’s sarcasm, still looking just as serious as he did when she first met him. Keila continued to look around, noticing that people were staring at the small group, before adverting their eyes. She glared slightly, her lips coming down into a frown.

“Time is fluid, Dean. It's not easy, but we can bend it on occasion.” This time, Castiel looked directly at Keila. His cerulean eyes pierced her amber ones, before they traveled down her body and landed on her chest. Castiel couldn’t help it, but he was _fascinated_ with Keila’s soul. He had never seen anything like it, and he felt this compelling urge to…

“ _HEY!_ Eyes up here!” Castiel snapped his eyes over to the green-eyed hunter, who seemed to be quite angry at the moment. Dean’s face was beginning to turn red, his eyes glaring intensely at the angel. Castiel looked back towards Keila, his eyebrows crooking as he saw a rush of red creep up her neck and onto her cheeks. Humans, they were so _odd_. Castiel focused his attention back on the hunter, a small sigh escaping between his plump lips.

“As I said before, it is not easy to manipulate time, but it can be done.”

“Well, bend it back or tell me what the hell I'm doing here!” Dean was over it. 100% over it. Shit was _way_ more complicated since he came back from Hell. He kind of missed the old days, when all he was worried about was finding his dad. _Who was apparently fine and dandy and ALIVE_.

“I told you, you have to stop it.” Keila looked at the angel, confusion written across her face. _Stop what?_ Castiel met her eyes briefly, before she felt a slight pressure pushing against her forehead.

‘ _This will be difficult for you.’_ Keila’s eyes widened as the angel’s voice filtered through her mind, his deep vibrato echoing in her skull. Her mouth dropped open slightly, before she gave a minute nod, her tongue darting out across her lower lip.

‘ _How did you break through my barriers?’_ Keila watched the angel’s lush lips twitch ever so slightly, his bright eyes staring directly into hers.

“Stop what? Huh? What, is there something nasty after my Dad?” Castiel directed his eyes towards the hunter, before they flickered away. A loud, blaring honk sounded from directly behind them, causing Keila to flinch, while Dean spun around. His emerald eyes surveyed his surroundings quickly, before he turned back around.

There was no one in front of him. All signs of the angel, of _Castiel_ , was gone. Dean let out a frustrated sigh, before turning his attention to the skies.

“Oh, come on! What, are you allergic to straight answers, you _son of a bitch_?!” Dean huffed out again, dropping his head slightly. Keila could see his jaw muscle tick, Dean’s emerald eyes staring straight ahead at where Castiel was once standing. Keila raised her hand to place it on the hunter’s shoulder, before she froze in place, green eyes piercing gold. She dropped her hand back to her side, clearing her throat awkwardly.

Clasping her hands behind her back, Keila swiveled on the balls of her feet, her dark hair swishing around her gently, a few pieces falling over her shoulders and hanging down, brushing against her biceps.

“Well, uhm, I guess we should figure out what needs to be stopped, huh?” Dean side-eyed her, before letting out a deep groan, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“We’re gonna have to find my dad. It’s got somethin’ to do with him.” Keila nodded her head eagerly, her memories pulling up her brief encounter with the young John Winchester. A small, dreamy smile pulled across her lips.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing your dad again.” Dean stopped walking and turned back towards Keila, his eyes fixing her with a glare. The smile slipped off of Keila’s face, slowly stopping behind the hunter. Dean glared at her for a couple more seconds, before he huffed and continued walking, his pace picking up ever so slightly. Keila stayed in place for a moment, lost in thought, before she snapped out of it and jogged towards the hunter.

“ _What? I was just sayin’!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a late update! They changed my schedule at work and it threw me all outta whack!
> 
> Anyway, a special thanks to TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsG, Bethany Washington, infinity_dreamchaser, and guests for the reviews and kudos! You guys, I seriously appreciate all of your support in this story, and I'd love to hear your feedback. Don't be shy!

Keila followed closely behind Dean as they made their way down the bustling street, her amber eyes surveying the small town around her. When her eyes landed on a familiar handsome face, she couldn’t help but groan when she saw where he was at.

_Car dealership._

Keila _hated_ car dealerships. She understood that the sales people were paid by commission, but _damn_. She thought back to when she went to ‘purchase’ Barbra, _that’s what she called her car_ , and how much of a hassle it was to get her. Not only did she have to exert almost all of her energy and power to basically re-write false memories of an entire dealership, but she also had to deal with the annoying sales people breathing down her neck while she browsed the selections. A grimace settled on her face as she thought about the entire ordeal. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with it again.

So, tailed behind Dean, eyes lowered and not making contact with any of the people within the lot, purposely trying to avoid being talked to. They were on a mission right now, and it wasn’t buying a car either. Keila kept her head low, but couldn’t stop it from snapping up and a small gasp escaping her lips as her eyes landing on the black Impala. It didn’t look nearly as good as it did when it was in Dean’s care, but she could still tell that it was the same car. Dean could too, because once it fell in his line of sight, he sprinted up to it, hands running along the side affectionately.

“Oh, _Baby_ it’s so good to see you again.” He murmured, patting the hood adoringly. Keila rolled her eyes, propping up against the back fender, as she watched John Winchester talk to the salesperson, standing in front of an ugly brown and white VW. She watched with mild interest as the two men talked, before it dawned on her that _that_ was the car that John Winchester was trying to purchase. A small giggle bubbled up in her throat as the thought about Sam and Dean using that car as their mode of transportation. All they needed was a dog and they’d be a live action Mystery Gang.

“ _Oh no._ ” Keila glanced over towards Dean, who was staring at his dad in horror as he pointed towards the VW, then continued his conversation with the salesperson.

“He wants to buy _that_?” A smile broke across Keila’s face as she glanced over towards Dean, shrugging her shoulders lightly.

“I think that’s a mighty fine car. ‘ts got a lot more leg room in the back.” Keila snickered as Dean glared at her, huffing out and crossing his arms, glaring towards the VW, then patting the Impala gently.

“Don’t listen to her, _Baby_. I’ll make sure you end up in the right hands.” Keila rolled her eyes again, snorting out of her nose, but looking back towards John, noticing that he was alone, the salesperson’s back retreating towards the office.

“That’s not the one you want.” Keila watched as John turned towards them, his brows furrowed as he took in Dean, before they flicked over to her. She shot him a small smile, watching his features relax slightly, before he focused back on Dean.

“You followin’ me?” Dean shook his head, pushing off of the Impala and walking towards his father. Keila remained up against the bumper, watching the two Winchesters interact with one another. Even though John didn’t see it, Keila could see the way that Dean moved and reacted around him. His back was a little straighter, his words were more clear, and his voice didn’t hold the normal sarcastic lilt that it normally did. Dean respected his father so much, even if at this moment in time, John had no idea who he was.

“No, no. I was just passing by. I never got to thank you for the cup of coffee this morning. I was a little out of it.” John nodded his head slowly, studying Dean’s face. Dean walked up beside him, hands shoved in the front of his jean pockets.

“More than a little.” John’s eyes flickered over to Keila, and Keila smirked towards him. She watched the corner of his mouth twitch up, before Dean started talking again.

“Let me repay the favor.” He walks over towards the Impala, patting her hood lovingly. John looked at the muscle car in front of him, eyebrows drawn together.

“This is the one you want.” John continued to look along the car, before his eyes made a very obvious travel up Keila’s body. When their eyes locked, they smirked at one another. Keila couldn’t help herself, she loved flirting with people. She didn’t see any harm in it, besides; it was _fun_.

“Oh yeah? You – you know somethin’ about cars?” Dean got a far off look in his eyes when he looked at the Impala, before he shook his head lightly and cleared his throat.

“Yeah…yeah. My dad taught me everything I know.” Keila could hear the sadness in Dean’s voice, and she couldn’t help the pang of guilt that coursed through her body. _Her father was the reason that John wasn’t around anymore. Her father was the reason why their lives were like this. Her father…_

“And this – this car is great.” Keila snapped out of her line of thoughts, watching the two Winchesters moved to the front of the car, popping the hood up and looking inside. She could hear Dean mumbling to his father, explaining about how great the car was, and how perfect it would be for what he needed. Keila frowned slightly, watching the two interact.

This was not the same John that she was accustomed to seeing. Even though that they weren’t aware of it, Keila had watched the majority of the Winchester’s time when they hunted together. Whether she was just another face in the crowd, or a rustling in the woods, Keila kept up with the Winchesters after she escaped from under her father’s wings. She didn’t know why she followed them, maybe she was hoping that she could warn them about her father before anything happened, _but clearly that didn’t go as planned_.

“She’s a beauty, I’m tellin’ you.” John looked up over the hood as Dean slammed it down, his eyes locking with Keila’s. A smile spread across his lips, and his warm eyes hooded slightly before he spoke.

“Yeah, she is.” Keila felt the blush creep up her cheeks as she tucked a piece of dark hair behind her ears. She turned towards the Winchesters, her hips rolling along the side of the car, arms crossing underneath her chest.

“Yeah, it’d be a shame if you missed out on her.” John chuckled lightly as Keila’s words as she sauntered towards them. She got Dean’s eye for just a moment, and the look that was spread across his face was priceless. Keila came to stand on the other side of John, looking around him to smile at Dean. Dean glowers at her before his dad turns towards him, hand extended.

“Thanks. John Winchester.” Dewan grabs a hold of his father’s hand firmly, shaking it, before releasing and stating his own name.

“Dean Van Halen, and thank you.” Keila looked at Dean incredulously. _Van Halen? Really?_ Because that was an _inconspicuous name_. John then turned towards her, his signature smirk sprawled across his face.

“And, what’s your name, sweetheart?” Keila grinned coyly at John, placing her hand gently into his. She heard an indigent noise escape Dean’s throat, and her grin grew bigger.

“My name is Keila Wayne, sir.” _I doubt he’ll pick up the reference_. His smirk widened as he nodded his head, before her gingerly released her hand. Keila took her time untangling her hand from his, making sure that her fingertips slid across his calloused palm. John’s eyes widened slightly, but his grin remained.

When John leaned over to look into the windows of the Impala, Dean glared at Keila. She raised her eyebrows and mouthed ‘ _what?_ ’ towards the hunter. Dean made rapid hand movements, before pointing towards his dad, then back at her, and shaking his head dramatically back and forth. Keila bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud and mouthed the word _‘what?’_ again.

‘ _QUIT FLIRTING WITH MY DAD!_ ’ Keila snorted through her nose at Dean, his silent answer quite hilarious. Keila just grinned at Dean, leaning against the back door, beside John’s head. Her shoulders began to shake when Dean dramatically pointed toward his eyes, then back at her. Dean returned his attention back towards his father, trying to appear as casual as possible.

“I was in pretty rough shape this morning, huh?” John peered up at Dean, his dark lashes blinking up at him.

“No kidding.” Dean continued to stare at his dad, before he opened his mouth again.

“I’ve been hung over before but, hey. I was getting _chills_ in that diner. You didn’t feel any of those cold spots, did you?” John glanced back up at Dean, slowly rising back into the standing position.

“Nope.” Dean fidgeted slightly, his hands clenching slightly.

“I swore I smelled something weird too, you know? Like... like _rotten eggs_. You didn't happen to smell any sulfur by chance?” John dead panned towards Dean, his eyes losing their luster at Dean’s questioning.

“No.” Dean gulped, his adam’s apple bobbing.

“No... There been any cattle mutilations in town recently?” Keila slapped her hand up to her forehead, kneading her temples with her thumb and pinky. Dean was really grasping at straws right now.

“Okay, mister! Stop it.” Dean straightened ever so slightly, his eyes narrowing in on his dad’s.

“Yeah, if only I knew what to stop. Listen, uh – watch out for yourself okay?” John gave Dean a quizzically look, before nodding his head lazily.

“Yeah, sure.” Dean nodded his head, accepting what his father had to say. He patted the hood of the Impala one more time, before turning around and walking away. Keila took that as her cue to follow along. As she passed John, she gave his bicep a light squeeze, a genuine smile on her face.

“Until we meet again, John Winchester.” She threw a wink over her shoulder as she trotted up behind Dean, before she fell in step beside him. She glanced over at the hunter, noticing that his face was etched with worry. She gently placed her hand on his bicep, much like she had just done with his father, and squeezed.

“Don’t worry, Dean. We’ll figure out what’s going on.” Dean didn’t look towards her, but he also didn’t shake off her grasp, which she took as a good sign. Her hand slowly fell back towards her side, both of them coming to a halt when they heard and engine rumble. Dean turned around quickly, just in time to watch his _Baby_ pulling out of the dealership and the opposite way.

Keila let out a sigh as she started off towards the way that the Impala went, Dean stuck in his spot, until he snapped out of it and jogged up to her.

“ _Honey,_ where are you going?” She rolled her eyes at the hunter, he knew damn well where she was going. A thought crossed her mind, and a devilish grin spread across her lips. She turned towards Dean, batting her eyelids sweetly.

“What can I say? I just can’t get enough of your dad.” She cackled out loud when she saw Dean’s face. Dean shoved her shoulder slightly, before a small grin broke out across his face as well. Both of them continued down the street, chuckling to themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Bethany Washington, infinity_dreamchaser, KBeautimous, and guests for the reviews and kudos! Y'all really don't know how happy it makes me to hear from y'all. I really do take y'alls feedback to heart, and try to better myself as a writer for your enjoyment. So, please don't be shy and leave a review! I promise I don't bite!

Keila’s eyes were wide at the scene that was unfolding in front of her. She had left Dean alone for five minutes. _Five minutes_. She just needed to use the bathroom, and once she came out of the diner that her and Dean had followed his parents too, Dean is getting his ass handed to him by some pretty blonde.

_Typical_.

Keila snapped out of her stupor and rushed towards the two grappling against the dumpster on the side of the building. Keila latched onto the blonde’s shoulder, yanking her back and away from the green-eyed hunter. The blonde yelped, before spinning around and landing a swift kick into Keila’s gut. Keila released her grip on the woman, doubling over slightly, her breath coming out in short gasps.

_Damn, she forgot how much that hurt._

The blonde turned her attention back to Dean, who was trying to talk his way out of whatever was happening. Keila seized the moment, and tackled the blonde, knocking her to the gravel. The two women scrambled on the ground, before Keila was able to pin the blonde beneath her, her knees on either side of the blonde’s hips, her wrists clasped in Keila’s hands. The blonde continued to struggle beneath Keila, before Keila sat all her weight down onto her, causing _whoosh_ of air to escape between the woman’s lips.

“Are you fuckin’ crazy? The hell did he do to you? Dean, what did you do to her?!” Keila glared up at the green-eyed hunter who was standing there with wide eyes, both hands up in surrender. The woman continued to struggle beneath Keila, and Keila returned her glare back towards the blonde.

“ _Quit it._ ”

“I didn’t do nothin’ to her! I was just mindin’ my own business and she came at me like a banshee!”

“You two are both full of shit! Y’all have been followin’ me for the past couple of hours!” Keila stared wide eyed at the woman pinned beneath her, the gears in her mind slowly grinding away, before it clicked.

“Ah, shit.” Keila quickly rolled off of the woman and into a crouched position, her chocolate hair billowing around her shoulders. The woman sat up slowly, wiping away the gravel that stuck into her skin, before glaring at the two. She continued her slow decent, before her right leg shot out, and in a sweeping motion, knocked Keila’s feet out from underneath her, and onto her ass. The blonde lurched forward, which caused Keila to push off on her hands, arching her body up and over her head in a backwards somersault. The blonder turned her attention back towards Dean, her eyes flitting between the two.

“Why are you two following me?” Keila wiped her hands on her jeans, removing the bits of gravel that were digging into her hands, inspecting the indentions, before glancing towards Dean. He continued to stare at the blonder, his eyes lost in a faraway look as he examined her face. She really was a sight for sore eyes. She had gorgeous blonder hair, that looked like a halo billowing around her. She was lean, but it was obvious that there were muscles hiding behind her inconspicuous clothing. And, her _eyes_. They danced between the shades of blue and green. They were _beautiful_.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.” Keila rolled her eyes at Dean’s response. Technically, they _weren’t_ following her, they were following John. She just so happened to pop up along the way.

“Bullshit.” She launched herself at Dean again, who quickly spun her around and pinned her against the wall of the diner. She struggled in Dean’s grip, the sleeve of her shirt falling down to the crevice of her bent elbow.

“Okay, how about we talk about this, huh?”

“LET GO OF ME!” Keila let out a huff, before her eyes locked onto something around the woman’s wrist. The silver charm bracelet gleamed, and to most, it would look like a normal bracelet, but Keila knew what those symbols were.

“Dean…” The hunter looked towards her, his eyebrows quirked. Keila nodded toward the woman’s wrist and Dean followed her eyes. He sucked in a breath, before his eyes roamed the beautiful woman in front of him.

“Are you a hunter?” The woman quit struggling, her eyes wide, before she violently twisted out of Dean’s grip, putting some distance between herself and him. She glared at both of them, before she pointed at both of them, her voice seething.

“I want you two to quit following me or anybody that is associated with me, do you understand?” She stormed off back into the diner before either one of them had a chance to respond. Keila glanced over at Dean, who’s mouth was happing open slightly as he watched the blonde enter the diner and slip back into the booth with John Winchester. Keila continued to watch Dean for a moment, before she cleared her throat.

“Uhm, your mom is kind of a bitch.” Dean snapped his mouth shut and glared at her, before huffing and making his way across the street from the diner, sitting down on the bench and glowering. Keila trailed behind him, gently sitting down on the bench beside him, propping her right ankle on top of her left knee, her arms folded across her chest. The two of them sat in silence, Keila picking at her cuticles, while Dean continued to stare at the diner.

“I always thought it was my dad who was the hunter.” Keila looked at Dean out of the corner of her eye. His body was hunched over, both of his elbows resting on his knees, his shoulders curved as his emerald eyes continued to pierce the diner. Keila didn’t turn her body towards the hunter, but continued to stare at him from the corner of her eye.

“You don’t know much about your family, do you?” Keila saw Dean’s body bristle at her comment, and she mentally scolded herself for her statement. She didn’t mean in like _that_. She believed the same thing that Dean had, that his father was the one who was from the line of hunters. Her father never divulged much on the Winchesters, besides the fact that he wanted Sam for his army to resurrect Lucifer. Other than that, Keila was blind to Dean’s family history as much as he was.

“I don’t know shit about my family, either. Don’t even know who my mom is.” That caused Dean to look at her, his brows furrowed as he studied her. Keila had her bottom lip pulled between her teeth, nibbling on it. A bad habit Dean had picked up on her, whenever she was nervous or anxious, that bottom lip was always being chewed on, sometimes to the point where it bled.

“Ya don’t know your mom?” Keila shook her head, a humorless chuckle escaping her chest. She leaned back against the bench, throwing her arms up and stretching out her back, a few audible pops sounding off.

“Nope. My bastard of a father took me away from her right after I was born. Said that she ‘ _would’ve only harmed me in the end_ ’.” Keila frowned at the words that escaped her lips, her mind racing with the memories of her father.

~

_“Father, how come I don’t have a mother?” Keila glanced up at her father who was currently sitting at a desk, massive books and papers spread out around him. His sharp yellow eyes peered down at the small child at his feet, who was laying on her stomach and drawing on a blank piece of paper. His eyes crinkled ever so slightly when he saw what she was drawing, a house engulfed in flames._

_“Because, my little soldier, she would’ve done nothin’ but harmed you. Ruin all my hard work that I have planned out for you.” Keila frowned and halted her violent scribbling of the orange flames on her paper. Harmed her? She didn’t want to be harmed._

_“She woulda hurt me?” Her father let out a menacing chuckle, a large tanned hand patting her head gently. So naïve, so trusting. So idiotic._

_“That’s right, little one. She would’ve filled your head with so many emotions, so many ideas. It only would’ve harmed you in the end.”_

~

Keila grimaced as she snapped out of her memory, shaking her head slightly, before giving a crooked smile towards Dean.

“But, hey. This ain’t about me. Looks like you get a chance to figure out what your family’s all about now.” Dean nodded his head, his features still blanks as he watched Keila’s eyes swim with so many emotions. He felt his chest constrict slightly, before he buried the feeling. His eyes shot back over towards the diner, where he saw his mom and dad exiting, both crawling into his _Baby_ , before they rumbled down the road.

He patted his knees, once, twice, before slowly standing and turning his body towards Keila, his hand extended out towards her.

“Well, _Honey_ , looks like we need to pay a visit.” Keila gave a small smile up at Dean, before she placed her hand in his, his callouses brushing against her palm, before he hoisted her up and began the slow trek after the Impala.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY. I know it's been forever since I've updated, but being an adult sucks. Having a job sucks. Don't grow up y'all, its a trap.
> 
> Anyway, a special thanks to Bethany+Washington, Jessica, and guests for the comments and kudos. I seriously appreciate your support in this story. So, don't be shy and leave a review, I'd love to talk to you!

It was a crisp night as Dean and Keila approached the modest looking house in front of them. Keila could see movement from inside the dimly lit house, curtains ruffling. Her heart hammered in her chest, a massive knot forming in her throat. This was a house full of hunters. _Hunters who would kill her if they knew who she was._ A deep chill ran up Keila’s spine as she stared ahead, eyes unfocused. Even though Keila had been traveling with two of the most notorious hunters in North America, that didn’t stop the fear that always lingered in the back of her head.

_What if they found out…._

_What if they found out…_

What. If. They. Found. Out.

Now, Keila was basically walking into a lion’s den, a lion’s den crawling with experienced hunters who wouldn’t hesitate to kill her in an instant. Keila swallowed thickly, her mouth running dry as she saw the black Impala pull up in front of the house. She liked to fool herself in thinking that she had built up some sort of relationship with the Winchester brothers, and that if the truth ever did come out, that they would spare her life.

But, then she remembers that her father, her one true bloodline, is the reason that these boys lead the life that they do, and any hope that she has is quickly dashed. Keila wasn’t afraid to die, she didn’t think. For a long time, she welcomed death, and would actively seek situations that would possibly end her life. Now, she wasn’t as hellbent on it. Hell, Keila was content with life right now. Maybe it was because she finally came to terms with what she was and who she is, the self-hate and deprecation slowly drifting off, she wasn’t sure.

But, she was sure that walking into a house of hunters wasn’t on the top of her to-do list, at the moment. Neither was being stuck in the 70’s, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers.

“Alright, _Honey_. It’s out time to shine.” Her amber eyes snapped back to the world around her, the crisp air causing goosebumps to crawl across her exposed skin. She looked over at the green-eyed hunter beside her, his long bowed legs carrying him out of the clearing and towards his young mother. Keila bit back the sigh that threatened to cross her lips and pushed herself through the small opening in the trees, following behind Dean.

The two of them approached Mary cautiously, who quickly turned on her heels and eyed the two of them. Keila couldn’t help but feel impressed by the beautiful woman in front of her. She had never expected that the matriarch of the Winchester family was the _hunter._ Keila didn’t know much about Mary Winchester, _Campbell as this moment in time_ , but she expected a goody too shoes, not a badass.

Surprise, surprise.

“Dean, right? And, uhm…?” She looked towards Keila, with her eyes brows raised. Keila sent her a kind smile, crossing her arms under her chest, to try and fight off the cold that was creeping into her bones. And, to possibly hide her discomfort in the situation.

“Keila.” Mary nodded towards her, her lips stretching out ever so slightly as her eyes roamed Keila’s body. Mary couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated by the woman in front of her. She was pretty. _Very pretty_. She had dark hair that reminded her of John’s, such a deep rich brown, that at night, it bordered on the verge of looking black. She had an athletic body, not much like Mary’s. Mary was slightly proud of what her genetics had left her with, golden locks, and a slim figure, but looking at Keila, she couldn’t help but be slightly jealous of her curvy figure. Her body looked soft, but hard at the same time. Keila was beautiful, but not the typical kind.

But, it was Keila’s eyes that Mary was most envious of. Even though Mary had eyes that danced on the edges of blue and green, she felt like they were plain and boring compared to Keila’s. Keila’s eyes were a warm, rich amber color, like honey, that practically glowed. It reminded Mary a lot of a mountain lion’s eyes, always sharp and observant.

“That’s a really pretty name. But, I’m not sure you should come in.” Dean’s lips curled ever so slightly, before he cocked his hip out, shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. His eyes glanced over to Keila momentarily, before he looked back towards his mom.

“You can trust us. I mean, come on, we’re all hunters, right? I mean, we’re – _we’re practically family_.” Keila could hear the longing in Dean’s voice, she could see it shining behind his emerald eyes, and the hard rock that was in her stomach began to grow heavier. Guilt began to course through her blood, and Keila cast her eyes down, staring at her Converse as they aimlessly kicked at the small rocks on the street.

_Family._

_The only thing the Winchesters ever wanted, but could never have._

_Because of her._

“Yeah, the thing is, my Dad, he’s a little uhm…” Dean’s eyes lit up ever so slightly at the mention if his grandfather.

“Oh, I gotta meet him.” Mary looked perplexed at the hunter in front of him, his large frame bouncing slightly on his toes. She cast her eyes over to Keila momentarily, but it didn’t take long for her to figure out that the woman was completely zoned out of the conversation that the two of them were having. Her bottom lip was tucked up under her front teeth, getting worked over almost painfully.

“You’ve heard of him?” Dean’s eyes shone bright and he shook his head back and forth, a small smile pulling across his lips.

“Clearly not enough.” Mary looked back towards her house, then towards the two hunters that stood in front of her, before looking back to her house and letting out an exasperated sigh.

“Alright, look. Y’all can come in, but I’m warning you. My dad isn’t…. he doesn’t trust anybody. So, you might not be welcomed. At all.” Dean just nodded and began to walk towards the house, leaving Mary to follow behind him with Keila. She glanced over at the dark-haired woman, taking in her features, before smiling slightly to herself.

“Your boyfriend is pretty headstrong.” Keila snapped her amber eyes over to Mary, wide and her mouth hanging open slightly. Mary could see a slight bit of blood forming on the center of Keila’s bottom lips, staining it a red color, which morbidly looked very good on her.

“ _Boyfriend?!_ ” Keila let out a harsh whisper, glancing up towards Dean to see if he had heard what Mary said. H was completely oblivious to the two women behind him, his eyes focused on the house in front of him. Keila let out an internal sigh of relief, but quickly shot her eyes over to Mary, glaring at her slightly.

“He’s not my boyfriend.” She grumbled, dragging the back of her hand lazily over her mouth, removing some of the coppery substance that speckled her lips. She absentmindedly brushed the blood from her hand on the side of her jeans as they continued up the walkway, her tongue darting out over her bottom lip to remove any of the access blood.

“Really? You two could have fooled me. What with the longing glances towards one another and what not.” Keila stopped in her track, watching as the matriarch continued marching up the path towards her house, a sly smirk painted across her face. Keila stared dumbfounded for a moment, before it finally clicked.

“Are you trying to be funny? Because, you’re not being funny.” Mary let out a small chuckle, throwing her blonde hair over her shoulder as the glanced back at the brunette who was stomping up the path beside her.

“Really? Because, I thought that was pretty funny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry! Life, man. It's crazy.
> 
> A special thanks to Bethany+Washington, Ashton_is_aPenguin, and guests from the reviews and kudos! I really appreciate ya'll sticking with the story, and would love to hear your feedback!

Sitting around the Campbell’s dining room table was extremely awkward, especially for Keila. After their tense interrogation from Samuel, and the clear lack of disapproval that was etched across his rugged face, Keila had figured her and Dean would both have a bullet in their head before the night was through. But, Dean Winchester being, well, Dean Winchester, he managed to charm his maternal grandmother, Deanna, and now here they were, eating dinner with _hunters_. But, not just any hunters.

_Dean’s family of hunters._

Keila swallowed the large lump in her throat and looked down at the food that was placed in front of her. Pushing the food around her plate gingerly, she casually stuck her fork into the pile of green beans, before picking it up and placing it in her mouth, chewing on them slowly. Her appetite was pretty much gone, anxiety rumbling in her belly, making her slightly nauseous. _Thank God they hadn’t tried to test either one of them, cause who knows what would’ve-_

_“_ You alright, honey?” Keila’s eyes focused back on her surroundings, her mind crawling out of the dark corners and back to the present. Deanna looked at her, a worried looked etched into her brows as she watched her. Keila could feel her cheeks burn slightly, heat crawling up her necks and her ears ringing.

“Huh? Oh, yes ma’am. Everything is fine.” Her southern lilt was light, but the slight tremor in her voice was evident to everyone around the table. The conversation that Dean was having with his grandfather ceased, and the harsh eyes of Samuel Campbell was staring her down, his face falling into a stern look.

“You don’t look alright.” Deanna hissed out something to Samuel, but that didn’t faze the seasoned hunter. His eyes stayed locked on Keila’s golden orbs, trying to dissect what was up with her. The minute that Samuel saw her walk through the door, he had his suspicions about her. The boy, Dean Van Halen, he was your typical hunter, brash, cocky, arrogant, and carried an aura of confidence around him. But, this girl? She carried herself like a soldier. Her movements were calculated, and her peculiar eyes seemed to take in everything around her, lingering on the exits, and making notes of the hidden weapon caches that Samuel had placed around his house.

It sent up red flags in head, someone who was that aware of their surroundings means they were looking for ways to escape. And, those who wanted to escape usually were hiding something.

“Daddy!” Mary glared at her father, but her interest was slightly peaked as well. Ever since Keila had entered her family’s home, she noticed that the color from Keila’s faced had drained slightly, and her bottom lip was constantly tugged between her teeth. She was nervous, but Mary didn’t understand why. Well, _she did_ , but she didn’t. Keila was _with_ a hunter, why would she be nervous around others?

“To be honest with you, sir, bein’ around other hunters makes me nervous.” Dean glanced towards Keila, the obvious tension in the room rising. He felt a small amount of guilt creep into his system. He never thought about how Keila would feel being shoved into a room full of hunters. Hell, the most interaction she had with hunters was with him and Sammy, and he’ll admit his younger brother was more like an overgrown puppy than a weathered hunter, like Samuel. But, Dean was used to the harsh looks and backhanded comments.

“Heh, well I guess I can’t blame you there.” Samuel’s thin lips tugged ever so slightly, before he looked down at his meal in front of him and took a heaping bite of meatloaf. Keila’s eyes drifted down to her own plate as well, but Samuel Campbell always stayed in her peripheral. Her trust in people was almost non-existent, no matter how hard she tried to force it. When she thought about it, she hardly knew anything about the brothers that she had been traveling with for almost a month now. All she knew of them was from what she witnessed those years that she had followed them, but that didn’t mean she _knew them_.

“Are you sure you’re alright, sweetie? You’ve hardly touched your meatloaf.” Mary let out an exasperated sigh at her mother’s worry, before she took a small scoop of mashed potatoes and spooned them into her mouth. She pulled a disgusted face as she saw Dean shoveling food into his mouth like it was his last meal on Earth. His emerald orbs caught hers, and he gave her a toothy grin, mouth full of green beans and mashed potatoes. She gagged slightly and pushed her plate away from her slightly, her appetite gone.

“No ma’am, you’ve made a wonderful meal. I just have a sensitive stomach, that’s all.” Keila shot Deanna a reassuring smile, which seemed to please the female hunter. Dean eyed Keila warily as he took another massive bite of his meatloaf. From what he’s seen, Keila _did not_ have a sensitive stomach, that girl could put food back like he could. Despite his nonchalant attitude, Dean was aware of how Keila was acting around his maternal grandparents.

It was just like how she acted when he first met her own Bobby’s porch. She sat as straight as a board, her eyes darting in every which direction, taking in her surroundings, her southern accent more prominent than it usually was. _She was scared_. Dean could understand why, but it also kind of annoyed him. She shouldn’t be scared, _he was here_. He continued to watch her as she pushed her mashed potatoes lazily around her plate, her brows furrowed, bottom lip being gnawed on.

_She’s always chewin’ on her lip_.

Keila glanced up and looked at Dean, who gave her a smile filled with mashed potatoes. Instead of grimacing like Mary did, a wide grin broke out across Keila’s face as she chuckled at the young hunter. Deanna watched the interaction between the two, a small smile on her face. She placed her hand on her husband’s knee, giving it a small squeeze. Samuel raised his dark eyes towards his wife, who gave him a not so subtle head tilt towards their two guests.

“Don’t they remind you someone?” Samuel peered closer at the two sitting across from them, both with small smiles on their faces. He noticed how the girl’s body had relaxed minutely, and how the young man was leaning towards her ever so slightly. His eyebrows furrowed before he turned back towards his wife, leaning so he could speak into her ear.

“Nah, not really. Who do they remind you of?” Deanna leaned away from her husband, a small smirk tugging at the edge of her lips, before she ducked her heads and pressed a light kiss to her husband’s cheeks.

“Don’t worry about it, you’ll see it sooner or later.” Mary on the other hand, knew exactly who her mother was talking about, and it brought a bright pink tint across her cheeks. She watched the two across from her, her heart beating faster as she thought about who they looked like, who they acted like, and she couldn’t help but smile slightly. She looked towards her mother, who gave her a lazy wink, before she returned to her meal.

Dean and Keila acted a lot like John and Mary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY. Life's hectic, and I'm trying to get back on track with my writing. So, thank y'all for being so patient. Also, a HUGE thanks for all the feedback on the last chapter! I didn't think it was one of my better chapters, but I'm glad that y'all liked it!
> 
> A special thanks to KBeautimous, Little_Miss_Anime_Luva, Mystrye, nolairishangel, Antisocial 8i8, and guests for the comments and kudos! It motivates me so much to see y'all supporting this story!

“Dean, no.” The green-eyed hunter let out an aggravated huff as he stared down at the brunette sitting on the edge of the moldy motel bed. His eyes roamed the horrendously decorated room, taking in the atrocious 70’s wallpaper, _which was in style at the moment_ , the thick shag carpet, and the massive TV with bunny ears on top, picking up an awful reception of the Brady Bunch.

“ _Honey_ , this is part of the job. Going to interview families? Seeing what’s up? It’s kinda in the description, sweetheart.” Keila’s amber eyes flicked up to take in the hunter standing before her, a hard glare in them. She held eye contact for a moment, before she let out a sigh and continued to lace up her converse, scowling as the where swallowed whole by the gaudy bell bottom jeans that Mary had leant her. Keila grimaced as she stood up, the snug jeans clinging to her thighs in the most uncomfortable ways, before flaring out and leaving her calves to basically freeze in the cold motel room. She tugged on her cream colored billowy top, that was haphazardly tucked into the high-waisted bell bottoms, a small scowl on her lips.

_She looked like a damn idiot_.

“Dean, I’m not dressing up as a nun.” Dean let out a low noise in the back of this throat, tilting his head back to look up at the popcorned ceiling, before he let out a hard breath threw his nose. His eyes focused back in on Keila, who was currently fighting her tragic wardrobe in the full-length mirror that was in the room, and he couldn’t stop the smirk that slowly pulled across his lips.

“It’ll be better than looking like one of the extras on the set of ‘Soul Train’.” Keila glared at the chuckling hunter, locking eyes with his reflection in the mirror. He was wearing a simple black outfit, with the signature white priest collar poking out from the top, and it made her scowl even more. Keila didn’t have issues with the men and women who devoted themselves to God, she envied them sometimes, what with their close relationship with the Lord. _She’s just never had a good experience with them._

“It’s better than looking like an extra from ‘Sister Act’, alright? Let’s just get a move on. I’ll stay outside or something.” Keila made her way towards the motel door, Dean right on her heels. _A little too close to her heels_ , because he stepped on the back of her flowing bell bottoms and caused her to tumble into the doorway. The hunter couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter that burst from him, a small chuckle joining him momentarily, before a _WHACK_ echoed throughout the room. Dean clutched his right pectoral, mouth open in mock shock, as Keila’s shoulders shuddered slightly.

“Watch where you’re going! I could’ve seriously gotten hurt, butthole.” Dean’s eyes lit up slightly, smiling down and Keila as she huffed, flipping her long, dark hair over her shoulder, the natural waves cascading down her back.

“Butthole? What are we, in third grade?” Dean leaned around Keila as he pulled open the door to her motel room, purposely stepping on the bottom of her jeans again. She glared up at him, kicking her trapped leg back slightly, before stalking forward and out into the misty morning.

“You act like you’re in third grade…. _butthole_.” She whispered her insult as the made their way out of the motel parking lot, and towards the house that they were going to “investigate”.

Well, the house that _Father Springsteen_ was going to. Keila planned to stay on the outskirts and scope out the area, trying to pick up any clues as to what might’ve happened. The trek Whitshire farm was long, tiresome, and Keila began to hate these blasted clothes more and more. She felt like a horse trying to walk in these jeans, her gate awkward as she tried to keep the ends from dragging the ground. And, _what the hell was this top made out of?_ It clung to her skin, and made her uncomfortably hot. Dean on the other hand, looked like this was second nature to him, walking up the long dirt driveway with his hands clasped behind his back, his body tall and lean. He stopped halfway up the drive, and turned to look towards Keila, noticing the small perspiration that was collecting at her hairline.

“Okay, some I’m gonna go in and ask the wife about what’s been going on. You just stand out here and…. just be pretty.” Before Keila had a chance to respond, Dean was already making his way to the house, leaving Keila with her eyes drawn together and confused. She let out a disgruntled noise, before she noticed a large oak tree. She quickly made her way over, take shelter under the shed of the tree, her back hitting the cool, itchy bark. She let out a small sigh, her eyes closing momentarily.

“What’re you doing here?” Keila’s eyes flew open, startled. She placed a tanned hand over her chest, sucking in a deep breath, before turning towards the sound of the voice, noticing a young teenager staring at her curiously.

“Jesus, kid. You nearly gave me a heart attack.” The teen looked down momentarily, a small blush creeping onto his cheeks, before he looked back towards Keila.

“’m sorry. But, what are you doing here?” Keila glanced towards the house, where she briefly saw Dean’s back passing through one of the open windows. She nodded her head towards the house, before her soft, southern lilt broke through.

“I’m hear with Father Springsteen to pay my respects and offer my condolences to y’all.” The teen eyed Keila momentarily, before cocking his hip slightly.

“You don’t look like a nun.”

“That’s cause I’m not.” A small silence fell between the two, the teenager looking at Keila, and Keila taking in the scenery around her. She could feel the teens eyes boring into her, before she let out a small sigh, turning her gaze to him.

“My name’s Keila, by the way.” She held her hand out towards the boy, who stared down at it for a minute, before he tentatively placed his hand in hers.

“Charlie.” Keila nodded her head slowly, giving his hand a soft shake, before she released it and turned her body towards him, her shirt pulling against the bark.

“Now, I don’t wanna offend you. Or drudge up anything that you don’t wanna talk about. But, if you’re willing, I’d like to ask you some questions.” Keila was tempted to skip the pleasantries all together, and to just dive right into his mind and dig what she was looking for. But, there was a hunter only a couple of yards away, in a house, acting like a priest, and be damned she was gonna get herself killed before she was technically even born.

Charlie began to open his mouth, before he snapped it shut again, brows furrowed.

“ _Who’re you?_ ” Keila peeked around her corner, and couldn’t help the small smile that pulled across her face as Mary Winchester made her way up the hill, eyes shining bright as she locked on to Keila. Keila nodded her head to the approaching girl, before she turned back to Charlie, a small smile on her lips.

“That’s my friend, Mary. Her uncle is a priest too.” Mary smiled at Keila as she came to stand beside her, silently praising the woman for being quick on her feet. Mary had a feeling that Dean wouldn’t have taken her father’s warning, and now, she was kind of happy. Despite their rocky introductions, Mary felt this weird bond with Keila, like it was a life that she yearned for. Little did she know, that Keila felt the same way about her as well.

“Right, sorry. I wasn’t interrupting anything was I?” And, Keila didn’t know how Mary did it, but she got Charlie talking like there was no tomorrow. Keila’s eyes widened slightly as she heard Charlie’s recollection of the events that happened before his father died. And slowly, a feeling of dread began creeping through her veins, it’s started in her fingers and toes, them twitching slightly. Then, it ran up her arms, a trail of goosebumps in its wake. It spread throughout her entire body, before it settled in her chest, digging its tendrils into her heart and latching on for dear life.

“Charlie, would you like to tell the Father what you just told us?” Keila snapped out of her stupor, focusing on Dean as he approached his brows creased slightly. He came to stand beside Mary, and Keila couldn’t help but see the resemblance that they shared. Same eyes, same nose, same demeanor when it came to hunting. Her heart thudded in her chest, mouth going dry.

“Dad drank sometimes. Sometimes he got rough with mom.” Keila gnawed on her bottom lip unconsciously, _she knew what the kid was feeling_. Wanting to love someone that was your father, but…. _not being able too._

“And, that’s when the stranger came?” Charlie looked towards Mary, before locking eyes with Keila momentarily. She nodded her head gingerly, trying to coax the story out of Charlie one more time, _if she could just get into his mind, she’d know._

“I just thought he was some Bible thumper, like you all. He showed up about a week ago.”

“Saying what?” Dean finally spoke up, looking down at Charlie. He could see the fierceness in his eyes, and that scared her even more.

“Did I want the beatings to stop? I just thought he was crazy, I didn't think – and the next thing I know, Dad's dead. Am I going to jail?” Keila shook her head, trying to give him an encouraging smile, but she felt that it only came out as a grimace.

“You didn’t do this, Charlie.” Mary placed a gentle hand on the teenager’s shoulder, but he shook it off quickly.

“Did the stranger want something in return?” Dean questioned the kid, and Keila could see the walls slowly being rebuilt in the kid’s mind. Maybe, just maybe she could…

_No._

Digging into this kid’s mind right now would spell suicide for Keila, in front of two hunters.

_But, she had to know_.

“What are they talking about?” Keila glanced up at Charlie, noticing that Dean and Mary had taken a few steps away from them, whispering about something. Keila gave Charlie a small smile before speaking.

“I dunno. I’m just as clueless as you are about this.” The dread latched onto her heart began to grow, a black mass coursing through her body as the two approached again.

_It can’t be him._

_“_ Charlie, do you remember what he looked like?”

_It can’t be him._

“Yeah, he was about 5’10, white, normal looking really.”

_Please, don’t be him._

_“_ Anything else?

_Please, don’t let it be him._

_“_ There was one thing.”

_God, please._

“What?”

_Please, no._

“It's just, the light hit his eyes in a weird way and... for a moment I coulda sworn – “

_No…_

“What? That they were black? Or red maybe?”

_Oh God…._

“No, they were yellow. Pale yellow.”

_It was him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Pandorixca, Little_Miss_Anime_Luva, infinity_dreamchaser, kayleecastle, Grace88, and guests for the kudos and comments! I love to hear what y'all have to say about the story, so don't be shy and leave a review!

“I shouldn’t be here. _I shouldn’t be here._ ” Puffs of white smoke shot out past chattering teeth, a body curled in on itself, in the cool Kansas night. Keila pulled in a deep breath as Dean Winchester stumbled out of the house in front of her, yanking open the driver’s side door of the car that they had hotwired, and sliding into the seat. He slammed the door behind him, looking up at the house one more time, before throwing the car into reverse, twisting the wheel sharply until they were facing the opposite way, and tearing out of the property.

Keila’s eyes danced over Dean’s faced, noticing the hard lines and the stone-cold look that he held. Her body involuntarily shuddered, before she glanced down at his slap, and noticed a shiny gun sitting in it. Along the barrel was intricately carved details, Latin scriptures along the shaft, the metallic chrome glinting against the street lights.

“You got it.” Dean snapped his eyes away from the road momentarily, looking at the passenger seat, before focusing on the road again. He rolled his shoulder back ever so slightly, grip loosening on the steering wheel.

“Yeah, can’t say that Elkins was too happy about it.” The edge of his lip pulled up slightly, before it dropped down again, his serious expression taking hold. Keila nodded to herself, her bottom lip pulled between her teeth, gnawing on it. She angled her body away from Dean, back towards the road, where she wrapped her arms tighter around her body.

Anxiety wriggled its way through her body, making her limbs and digits feel like lead. It physically pained her to breath, but she was greedy for the cold air to rush into her lungs, taking massive gulps of it whenever she could. Her eyes were blown wide, pupils nearly engulfing her amber orbs, the whites contrasting against the inky darkness.

_Keila was terrified_.

Despite traveling with her father for, _God_ , almost her entire life, Keila never thought she would have to see him again. Just coming across the body that he took over was enough to rattle her, but to see _him again_ , it caused her heart to thump erratically in her chest. She glanced over at Dean from the corner of her eye. She knew that this was doing a number on him too. This was the thing that killed both of his parents, that craved the path for him that he followed today.

_That scared her even more_.

Dean Winchester was about to face off against her father for a second time, and this time she’d be right in on the actions, now cowering in the shadows like she did the last time. _There was a very good chance that both her and her father were going to die soon._

“You okay there, _Honey_? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Keila snapped out of her reverie and briefly made eye contact with the hunter. His mossy eyes were focused on her face momentarily, before they darted back towards the road. She forced a small smile his way, swallowing the lump in her throat before speaking.

“Uhm, ah, yeah. I guess. Just a little nerve wrackin’, is all.” She cleared her throat, eyes lingering along the road, before they danced along the interior of the car, glancing across the rearview mirror.

“ _HOLY SHI- WHAT THE FUCK?!”_ Keila screeched, her hand reaching for Dean’s lap as her body twisted around. Dean swerved across the double yellow lines when Keila’s hand groped at his crotch, before it curled around the Colt and it was yanked from his lap. Slamming on the brakes, the car lurched as it skidding to the side of the road, a slew of curses echoing from the car. Turning around with his face red, Dean glanced at back seat where Keila had the gun pointing, his eyes landing on a stoic figure, with a slight smirk pulling across its lips.

“ _The fuck is wrong with you, dude?!”_ Dean turned around, glaring at the figure from the rearview, his cheeks and neck still red. From fury or embarrassment, he wasn’t sure, but he knew that he wasn’t happy about it. Keila lowered the gun, her bottom lip bleeding slightly from biting down on it too hard when Dean stopped the car. Her eyes roamed the figure, taking in the blue waves that radiated from the figure, going unnoticed to the human eyes.

“ _Castiel_.” The angel in the back seat didn’t say a word, but Keila swore that she saw the edge of his lips lift a little. She turned in her seat slightly, so her body wasn’t completely facing the back seat, and felt the car slowly start to roll forwards again, jostling as it came off the shoulder and onto the smooth road. Keila turned around fully then, her back hitting the seat with a loud thud, her hand that was holding the gun, falling into her lap, the other running up her chest to try and calm her beating heart. Keila closed her eyes momentarily, trying to get a grasp on what was happening now, before she opened her eyes again and made contact with the cerulean blue ones glowing in the back seat through the rearview mirror.

“So, what? God’s our co-pilot, is that it?” Dean broke the tension that was building in the car, his eyes darting from the rearview mirror to the passenger’s seat, and back again. Silence still encompassed the car as the angel continued to sit in the back seat, his eyes boring into the two that were ahead of him. Castiel couldn’t help but be enraptured by his Father’s creation every time he came down from heaven. The way that they interacted, to him it was odd, but beautiful at the same time. Even though many years have passed since they were created, humans were still unique and strange creatures.

“Well, you're a regular Chatty Cathy. Tell me something. Sam would have wanted in on this, why not bring him back? No offense to _Honey_ over here, but this really has nothing to do with her.” Keila took in a small breath, her eyes snapping to the road, ignoring both sets that fell onto her momentarily. She swallowed down the massive lump that was stuck in her throat, and closed her eyes. She could hear the blood rushing past her ears, her heart hammering in her chest. She was sure the other two in the car could hear them as well.

“You had to do this alone, Dean. And, you would be surprised at how important Keila is to this situation.” Keila’s eyes popped open, a piercing set of glowing eyes capturing her through the rear-view mirror. She held the angels’ gaze, biting her lip unconsciously, before she slowly lowered the walls that were erected in her mind.

_‘Please, don’t tell him.’_ The angel held her golden gaze, before a warm sensation pressed at the front of Keila’s head.

_‘I will not tell him, but he will find out soon.’_ Keila winced slightly as the angel’s rough voice bounced around in her head, and she glanced over at the hunter driving, sure that he had heard it as well. All she noticed was Dean’s faced pulled tight, his lips set in a thin line.

“And you don't care that he's tearing up the future looking for me right now?” Castiel slowly dragged his eyes over to the hunter, who was now staring at him through the mirror as well. His emerald eyes pierced his, and he couldn’t help but compare what he saw behind those two sets of eyes in the front seat.

_Pain. Immeasurable amounts of pain._

“Sam's not looking for you.” Dean huffed, grinding his teeth, knuckles turning white from his grip on the steering wheel. Keila scowled, her mind only assuming the trouble that the younger Winchester was getting himself in to.

“Alright, if I do this, then the family curse breaks, right? Mom and Dad live happily ever after, and – and, Sam and I grow up playing little league and chasing tail?” A sudden flash of terror ripped through Keila’s body, before it was settled with peace.

_If Dean kills Azazel, I won’t exist. But, they’ll have a normal life._

Keila was surprisingly calm with this revelation. The only reason she was born to begin with, was to be a weapon, a war machine. For the majority of her life, that’s all she’s ever known. And, even though these past few years of her being her own person, it still felt as if she was just a shell. Not really living, just going through the motions.

“You realize, if you do alter the future, your father, you, Sam – you'll never become hunters. And all those people you saved, they'll die.” Dean’s eyes glared down at the road at the angel’s words. Keila could practically feel the angst that was rolling off the hunter.

“I realize.” The angel in the back seat quirked one of his dark eyebrows, eyes digging at the hunter’s soul in front of him. Despite the dark stains that marred parts of his soul, Dean Winchester had one of the most obnoxiously bright souls that Castiel as ever seen. It made the angel want to squint his eyes.

“And you don't care?” Dean sucked in a breath, glancing down at the speedometer of the car, before speaking again.

“Oh, I care. I care a lot, but these are my parents. I'm not gonna let them die again. I can't. No, not if I can stop it.” He glanced back up at the rearview mirror, to see that the angel was gone. Silently cursing to himself, Dean slapped his open palm on the steering wheel, his jaw clenching as his eyes narrowed in on the road. He relaxed momentarily, before he glanced towards the passenger seat, his guard flaring back up.

“Do you think that makes me selfish?” Keila’s eyes widened momentarily, before she took in the hunter beside her. Despite Dean being a master at bottling up his emotions, he could never really get that to reach his eyes. If you studied the hunter long enough, his eyes would be a dead giveaway to what he was feeling. _It didn’t help that this was also Keila’s expertise_.

“No, because I would do the same thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO!
> 
> So sorry for such the long break between chapters! With work and the holidays, it was impossible to write a decent chapter. But, this short break did give me time to flesh out Keila's story some more, so I guess there's a silver lining to everything!
> 
> A special thanks to NeverGiveUpp and guests fro the bookmark, and kudos! I seriously look forward to hearing from y'all, so don't be shy!

Keila gnawed on her bottom lip as they pulled up to the Walsh’s house, her honey brown eyes widening as she saw another car pulled up the long drive. She leaned forward in her seat slightly, squinting to look at the number on the license plate.

“ _Shit._ ” She sucked in a breath, looking over at Dean who was in the driver’s seat, his brows furrowed together. He yanked the car into park, fumbling with the Colt, before he shoved the door open, the car still running. He sprinted up the drive, leaving Keila in the car, eyes wide with fear. Her body began reacting on its own, her hands working swiftly on the seatbelt before she tumbled out of the car as well, barreling up to the front door, which was wide open, a soft yellow glow cascading from the doorway. As Keila made her way into the entry way, she froze, taking in the scene before her.

Samuel Campbell is pinned to the wall, and Keila can see the black shackles around his torso and legs, holding him in place. Her eyes continue to scan the room, resting on Dean momentarily, the Colt raised and pointed at two figures. She sucks in a breath when her eyes focus in on the two figures. Mary Campbell had her body pressed up against a man, his large hand slithered around her neck, heading peering over her shoulder, eyes fixated on Dean.  Keila’s heart stuttered in her chest when her eyes landed on the man. Despite not knowing the body that he was inhabiting, there was no way that she couldn’t see those sickly eyes glowing.

_Her father._

“Let her go!” Dean cocked the Colt, arms strong and steady as he holds it up. Her father’s eyes dance from Dean, to Samuel, then slowly make their way over to her. He cocks one of his thick brows, eyes boring into hers. Keila’s body begins to react in ways that is hasn’t in years. Her spine straightens on its own, her feet widening, and her head dropping down slightly, so her eyes were cast down.

“How many of there are you?” Despite it not being the voice that she knew, she could hear her father’s demonic lilt pulling through the body that he inhabited. It reeked of authority, and sent another tremor down her spine, though it went unnoticed to everyone in the room. Everyone except _him_. Suddenly, a small smile split across his lips, his eyes trailing up and down Keila’s body.

“ _I know you_.” Keila jerked her head up, chocolate tresses bouncing off her shoulders, eyes wide. Her father’s smile continued to grow, before he let out a low chuckle, turning his eyes back towards Dean. His eyes narrowed on the hunter in front of him, them towards the gun that he held in his hand. Keila watched as her father’s body stiffened slightly, pulling Mary closer to him.

“Where’d you get that gun?” Dean ignores his question, eyes focused on Mary, before he gave a discreet nod. Mary lunged to the side, breaking away from the imposter’s grip. Before Dean can get a shot off, black smoke billows out of the man’s mouth, shooting towards the vent in the wall and disappearing. Dean curses to himself, lowering his gun, before slowly making his way over to his mother. Keila watched as the small black tendrils holding Samuel to the wall began to dissipate, before he was freed and he fell to the floor.

In all the commotion, Keila didn’t feel the small prickling sensation in the back of her skull, before it was too late. Suddenly, she felt an all too familiar heaviness in her skull, before a deep, rumbling voice invaded her.

‘ _I’ll deal with you later, pet_.’ A small gasp escaped her lips, her eyes screwing shut, the mental barricade in her mind erecting high, shoving the unwanted presence out. Despite pushing her father’s voice out of her mind, she could still hear his sinister chuckling in her head. When she opened her eyes again, she noticed that all the hunters were looking at her, worry etched across two of their faces, the other glaring at her with suspicion. Keila cast her eyes away from the patriarch of the group, biting her bottom lip hard, before she walked towards Mary and Dean.

“Ya okay?” Mary gave her a reassuring smile, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder, but that didn’t stop Keila eyeing the angry red mark that was wrapped around her neck. She glanced over at Dean, who was staring down as his young mother with worry.

They all start walking out of the Walsh home, Samuel staying about to talk to Liddy. Keila trailed behind the father and mother, Dean berating Mary with a barrage of questions. Keila kept close to the two, her eyes frantically jumping from place to place, her guard up.

“Mary, what else did he say to you?” Mary let out an exasperated sigh, her eyes cutting to the side, before she crossed her arms under her chest.  She slowed her pace down slightly, shoes scuffing against the dirt.

“I told you, just that he liked me.” She continued to stare down at her shoes, before she pulled her eyes up, completely ignoring Dean and looking straight at Keila. Her blue orbs penetrating Keila’s amber ones, eyes wide with fear, and lip trembling slightly.

“What did he mean by that?” Her voice was almost a whisper, as if she was scared to speak too loudly. Keila just stared hopelessly at the blonde, her mouth dry and heart pounding in her chest. Samuel came out of the Walsh home, making his way to his daughter, throwing a heavy arm over her shoulder.

“Liddy’s a strong kid, she’ll be fine.” He squeezed Mary’s shoulder gently, before looking down at her. His dark eyes raked over his daughter for a moment, before he spoke.

“Are you okay?” Mary rolled her eyes, shrugging herself out of her father’s grip, and taking a step back. The fear was still in her eyes, but it was not being masked by anger.

“No, Dad. I’m pretty far from okay. Can we go?” Mary stalks away from the small group, making her way back towards the car. Keila’s eyes followed the blonde as she went, tempted to go after her.

“Nice job in there.” Dean let out an aggravated huff.

“I missed the shot.” Samuel rolled his dark eyes, placing his hand on Dean’s shoulder momentarily.

“Take the compliment, son. I’m saying that I was wrong about you.” When Samuel’s hand released Dean’s shoulder, the elder Winchester looked back towards the truck that his mom was sitting in. He took in a deep breath, before he turned back towards his grandfather.

“We need to talk. Alone.” Samuel noticed the tone in Dean’s voice, nodding his head slowly, before making his way back to his truck. He called out to Dean for him to follow, and Dean gave a silent nod, heading towards his own car, his hand reaching out and grabbing Keila by the wrist, and dragging her along the drive way. Once they were both in the car, which was still running, Dean scrubbed his hand over his face, before he turned towards the brunette sitting beside him.

“I have to tell him.” Keila looked at Dean shocked for a moment, before she slowly nodded. She rolled her shoulders slightly, one of them popping, before she looked back towards him.’

“He probably won’t take it well, ya know. _‘Back to the Future_ ’ hasn’t even come out yet. Time travel’s not somethin’ the forefront of these people’s minds.” Dean’s lips quirked slightly listening to Keila’s southern lilt, but the seriousness of the situation settled back into his mind and he gave a somber nod.

“I know. But, it’s the easiest way to possibly save my mom’s life.” Keila nodded slowly, the car lurching forward slightly, before it ambled behind the truck, heading back down the road. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, both replaying what had happened at the Walsh house in their minds. That’s when Dean remembered something that stuck out to him. His brows furrowed, his mouth opening, closing, and the opening again before he spoke.

“What did the Yellow-Eyed Demon mean when he said ‘he knew you’?” Keila’s blood ran cold, her eyes widening slightly. She pulled in a calming breath, before closing her eyes. She needed to tell him. She _HAD_ to tell him.

“I’m assumin’ that it has to do with the fact that he broke into my head when he wanted to make me a part of his army or whatever. “The lie flowed easily from her tongue.

_But she couldn’t, not yet._

Dean glanced over at her, his green eyes taking her in for a moment, before he nodded his head.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Wouldn’t be surprised if the bastard could jump time as well.” Keila zoned out what the hunter beside her was saying, her body tense with fear, a massive knot forming in her stomach. If her father _knew_ that she was his daughter, it wouldn’t be much longer before the hunters she surrounded herself with found out to. And, if they did…

_She was dead._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, I hope y'all enjoy!
> 
> A special thanks to Abbie, infinity_dreamchaser, KBeautimous, and guest for the reviews and kudos! Y'all don't realize how much they mean to me! And, don't be shy, tell me what you think! I always reply back to messages!

Sitting outside the front of the Campbell house, Keila can’t get rid of the knots that’s balled up in her stomach. Taking a deep breath, she closes her eyes, sucking in a lungful of cold air, before exhaling slowly. She opens her amber eyes, staring at the quaint house in front of her. Her slender hand grips the cold metal door handle, before she gingerly tugs it down, pushing the car door open.

Dean wanted to talk to his maternal grandfather alone, which she didn’t blame him for, telling someone that traveling time is possible? Eh, might be better to do it alone. But, despite that, Keila couldn’t shake the dark feeling that she had as she stared up at the house. It was almost as if an abnormal pull of energy was trying to drag her inside. It was something that she was familiar with, but she couldn’t quite place her finger on it.

Stepping out of the car, she stretches, arching up onto her toes, hands above her head in the air, back bowing back a little. She hears a satisfying pop in her shoulder, one that became a constant from how many times it’s been in and out of socket, and she lets out a shuddering breath. Despite the cool Kansas night, Keila’s body was running hot. The stress from this entire situation left her with an ever-present headache and a slight fever. She hoped IF they returned to their own time, it would go away.

Making her way up the drive, the feeling of dread began to grow inside of her. It continued to grow as she knocked lightly on the door, before slowly pushing it open and peeking inside of the house. She eyed the two men at the table, Dean facing away from her, but Samuel looking down at the Colt that was laying on the table’s surface.

“Sorry, I don’t let anybody hold it.” Keila quirked her eyebrows at the two, hearing the waver in Dean’s voice.

“I’m your grandfather.” Keila’s breath caught in her throat, eyes going wide as Samuel looked up towards Dean. Her blood felt like ice in her veins, her body’s temperature plummeting.

_Yellow. All she could see was yellow._

“Nothing personal.” Before she could open her mouth to scream, Samuel’s face morphed into something sinister. A disgusting smile creeping across his rugged face, one that still scared Keila, whoever’s face it was pulled across.

“Sure, it is. Especially when it’s me you’re trying to kill.” Samuel’s eyes flashed, and before Dean could even blink his chair slams against the wall, him glued to it. Samuel lifts his gaze towards Keila, who is now rushing towards Dean, angling her body between the too.

Samuel smiles down at her, a smile that she’s seen many times when he used to put her through her ‘training’. A sadistic and eerie smile, a smile that screamed _evil_.

“Future boy, huh? And, you must be his future girlfriend too.” Samuel stalks towards the two, his eyes glowing as he approaches. Keila continues to stand in front of Dean, her posture straightening and her knees locking into place. Despite her out from under her father’s tyranny for years, old habits die hard, and she still stood like the perfect soldier that she was in front of him.

_Hell, she thought that’d she never see him again._

“I only know one thing that’s got the juice to swing somethin’ like that. You must have friends in high places. So, I kill your Mommy? That's why you came all this way? To see little old me?” She couldn’t see Dean behind her, but she could feel the hate that was radiating off the hunter. That was something that her father was an expert at, something that he trained her to do as well. _To pick at people’s weaknesses until bone was hit._ And, that’s exactly what he was doing right now.

“Oh, I came here to kill you.”

Suddenly, Samuel’s eyes go wide, before a smirk crawls across his face, he continues to make his way towards the two, like a predator circling his prey.

“Hey, wait a minute, if that slut Mary's your Mommy, are you... are you one of my psychic kids?” Samuel takes a big whiff as he comes to stand in front of them, his brows furrowing. When her opens them again, they’re shining a bright yellow, his eyes darting from her, to Dean, then back to her.

“No, not you. Maybe you got a sis, or a bro. _But, you_. Lil’ darlin’, you _reek_ of me. I must’ve done a real number on you when you were born.” A sinister grin pulls across his face, as he leans forward, his lips pressed up against the shell of Keila’s ear.

“Too much to be a simple transfer. _You’re mine, huh?_ ” He whispers into Keila’s ear, his breath puffing her hair out slightly. Even though neither of the men could see it, Keila’s eyes flash momentarily, a sickly yellow that reminds her of what kind of monster she truly is. Samuel pulls away from her, a sick smile on her face as he stares down at her, her eyes back to their golden brown.

He huffs out a laugh at the glare on her face, then chuckles a little bit harder as he catches the hunter’s glued to the chair behind her.

“That's terrific, means it all worked out. After all, it's why I'm here.” Dean continues to glare at Samuel, his eyes focused on the man in front of him. Dean clenches his fist, knuckles turning white as he stares up at his parent’s murderer.

“So, that's what this is about, these deals you're making. You don't want these people's souls.” Samuel shrugs his shoulders, pacing slightly in front of the two. Keila subconsciously angles her body in front of Dean’s, trying her best to block the path between him and Samuel. Dean doesn’t notice the slight movement, but Samuel does. A smile pulls across his face.

“No, I just want their children. I'm here to choose the perfect parents, like your Mommy.” Dean sucks in a sharp breath, eyes narrowed in on the demon.

“Why her? Why any of them?” Keila glances around the room, looking for escape routes or weapons. Her eyes land on Deanna, peeking around the corner. Keila quickly averts her eyes, trying to not draw attention to the hunter who was sneaking up on them.

“They're pure, and they eat their Wheaties. My own little master race – they're ideal breeders.” Dean furrows his brows, while Samuel scoffs.

“Oh, get your mind out of the gutter. No one’s breeding with me. _Well, not yet anyways._ ” Samuel locks eyes with Keila for a moment, before he continues with his little speech.

 

“Though, Mary? Man, I'd like to make an exception. So far, she's my favorite.” Dean lashes out in the chair behind Keila, struggling against the invisible restraints that are held against him. Keila slowly glances behind her, taking in the black tendrils that are wrapped around Dean.

_I can break those_.

Keila begins focusing on the demonic energy that’s wrapped around Dean, slowly pulling and tugging at them with her own powers. She continues to focus on her father, her mind split in two as her abilities work to free Dean, without her father’s notice.

_You trained me too well, and I’m going to use that against you._

Keila felt a small bubble of pride swell up inside of her. Her father kept her on a leash for most of her life, having her do his bidding, making her watch helplessly as he ruined life after life. The only major stand that she took against her father is when she ran away, covering her tracks so that he couldn’t find her. Not that he was looking for her, he had already found her replacement in Sam Winchester. Her next be act of rebellion was to kill him, but Dean had beat her to it. In the end, she was glad that he did, despite all that the monster had done to her, she still didn’t think she had the strength to kill him.

The demon terrified her, but she was attempting to redeem herself, even if it meant ending her existence.

“So why make the deals?” Samuel tuts at the question that’s asked of him, almost as if it’s too foolish of a question to begin with.

“I need permission.” Keila catches sight of Deanna creeping into the room, but she keeps her mind focused on breaking the binds around Dean. She’s not sure if the hunter realizes it or not, but the energy pinning his legs has been disbanded, and she’s slowly working on the thick band strapped around her chest. Her eyes seem brighter, not glowing their sickly yellow, but bright enough where it looks like there’s some type of bright light shining into them.

“I need to be invited, into their houses, I know, I know, the – the red tape'll drive you nuts, but in ten short years, it'll all be worth it. ‘Cause you know what I'm gonna do to your sibling? I'm gonna stand over their crib and I'm gonna bleed into their mouth. Demon blood is better than Ovaltine, vitamins, minerals – it makes you big and strong.” Samuel smirks down at the hunter, almost forgetting the woman that’s standing between them. But, his eyes glance over at the beautiful woman, and he can’t help but grin.

“But, of course that doesn’t make you near as powerful than being _born_ with it.” Keila winces, but keeps her mind focused on the task at hand, eyes glancing quickly at Deanna, who is still slowly approaching her husband.

“For what? So, they can lead your discount demon army? Is that your big plan?” Samuel lets out a low chuckle, grinning at Dean.

“Please, my end game's a hell of a lot bigger than that kid. Ain’t that right, sweet heart?” Keila ignores the question directed towards her, all her energy focused on the last small strand that’s keeping Dean latched to the chair.

_If I could just sever this strand…_

“End game? What end game?” Samuel rolls his eyes at the hunter, placing his large hands behind his back.

“Like I'm gonna tell you, or those angels sitting on your shoulder. No, I'm gonna cover my tracks good.” Dean glowers at the man in front of him, his eyes carrying a hard edge to them.

“You can cover whatever the hell you want, but I'm still gonna kill you.” Samuel smirks down at the hunter.

“Right. Now that, I'd like to see.”

“Maybe not today, but you look into my eyes, you son of a bitch, ‘cause I'm the one that kills you.”

“He’s not lyin’.” Her voice is low, but Samuel still catches it, turning his flaxen eyes towards Keila. She can’t help the small smirk that gently pulls across his lips.

“So, you're gonna save everybody, is that right? Is that it? Well, I'll tell you one person that you're not gonna save.” Suddenly, there’s a knife in Samuel’s hand, and Keila’s eyes widen, her mind quickly severing the last demonic strand wrapped around Dean, the energy in the room dissipating around them. Samuel furrows his eyes momentarily, glaring at Keila, before acting.

“Your Grand pappy.” Samuel winks at the two as he plunges the knife into his own gut.

“NO!” Keila and Dean lunge forward as Samuel turns around and swipes at Deanna, who tries to attack her husband. The demon resting inside Samuel though is stronger, sending a wave of energy at her, her body flying into the kitchen, a deafening pop sounding as she lands harshly on the floor.

Dean reaches for the Colt, swinging it around the entire room, before running over to his grandmother, her eyes wide and neck bent at an odd angle. Dean curses himself silently, looking around the room for his grandfather and Keila. Neither one of them could be found.

“Shit! Keila! KEILA!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHO GOT THE FLU?!  
> Sickness and writing do NOT go hand in hand, so I'm sorry for such the delay in updates.
> 
> A special thanks to KBeautimous, infinity_dreamchaser, CrowleysQueenofHell88, and ArdentHeart for the comments, kudos and bookmarks! Y'all seriously don't know how much it means to me to have your support in this story! I'd love to hear from y'all!

Keila’s head throbbed as she slowly opened her eyes, her blurry vision clearing slightly with each blink. Her head lobbed to the side, eyes focusing on the darkened woods rushing by. She sucked in a long breath, holding it for a moment, before releasing it slowly.

“D-Dean?”

“Try again, _Princess_.” Keila’s head snapped painfully towards the voice, her eyes wide as she stared at the large man beside her in the driver’s seat. A sinister smile crawled across his rugged face, dark brows pulling down slightly as he cast his yellow eyes towards her. Keila’s breath caught in her throat as she stared at her father inhabiting Samuel Campbell’s body, his eyes glowing in the darkness, black shadows dancing across his body. Keila continued to stare at her father, her eyes drifting over the body he claimed.

Normally, when a demon took over someone’s body, it was like a light was being smothered with a large hand. The person whose vessel was being used, their soul was trapped in the mind, a faint red glow trying to break out against the demons hold. Other supernatural beings could see the demon’s true face, gaunt and disfigured pulling against the mask of their vessel. Keila was only able to see their “true” eyes shining through, breaking through the mask that they shared with the rest of the world. As her eyes continued to dance across her father’s vessel, she noticed a large dark stain collecting on the front of the shirt of Samuel Campbell.

“What did you do?” A dark chuckle broke past the thin lips of Samuel Campbell as he continued to coast down the dark Kansas highway. He took another glance and the beautiful woman beside him, a small smile tugging against his lips.

“Just wanted to make sure I’m gettin’ what I came for. ‘ts all.” A chill ran down Keila’s spine as her father smiled down at her, his fingers flexing gently against the steering wheel as he coerced the car along the curve in the road.

“So, not one to beat around the bush, _Princess_ , but I need to know what _my child_ is doing with a bunch of _hunters_.” Her father’s voice started off calm, but slowly grew darker and darker, until he was literally spitting ice at her. Keila turned her golden eyes away from her father, her shoulders squaring slightly, as she stared out of the front window, her mind going blank. She sat there in silence for one minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. She would’ve been content sitting there in silence for the rest of her life.

But, her father wasn’t.

A large meaty hand met her nose at a high velocity, a large _‘CRACK’_ echoing throughout the small car, before Keila dropped her head, hands flying up to her nose. Tears welled up in her eyes from the impact and pain that coursed from the middle of her face, but no sound escaped her. She could feel blood pooling out of her nose, down onto her hands, and she could feel her nose skewed on her face. She closed her eyes, hands shaking slightly before she took a deep breath in, and wrenched her nose back.

Her canals snapped and her airways were realigned, her hands covered in blood and shaking. She slowly pulled her hands from her face, eyes read with unshed tears, and blood collecting on her upper lip, running down her chin.

“I’d appreciate an answer, _child_.” Her eyes stayed focused on the road in front of her, the moon chasing behind them. She filled her mind with a song, one that wasn’t from the time period she was trapped in now, but one she had sung to herself countless of times to keep her father’s vicious mind from prying into her own.

“’m here to stop you.” Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper as she spoke, her tongue thick with blood. She kept her head tilted down, letting the blood run out of her nostrils, and not down the back of her throat. She could feel her yellow eyes breaking through, her vision sharpening, the world around almost seeming to slow down. She closed them quickly, taking in a deep breath, before she opened them again, the flaxen hue not leaving.

“ _Stop me_? How cute.” She glared down at her dirty jeans, small droplets of blood distorting the denim. She closed her eyes again, willing her powers back into the recesses of her mind, before she opened her eyes again. She cursed silently as she noticed the world was still shifted slightly, clearer than it should’ve been for someone with 20/20 vision.

_The longer I’m near him, the harder it is to control my powers. Just like before._ Keila let her yellow eyes dance around the cab of the car, before they briefly stopped on her father. His yellow eyes were no longer focused on the road, but instead on his daughter sitting beside him. She could feel him attempting to wiggle his way into her mind, and her barriers strengthened tenfold. He creased his brows for a second, before a smile split across his face.

“I taught ya well, it seems. So, tell me, what drove you outta my teachings an into the arms of some hunters? I’m sure they didn’t take too kindly in knowin’ about me.” Keila sat silent, her shoulders stiffening slightly. Her father continued to stare her down, before a deep bellowing laugh broke out in the silent night.

“ _Oh, ho ho ho ho…_ they don’t _know_ do they? How _precious_.” Keila closed her eyes, leaning back slightly, before she opened them again, the yellow irises growing brightly, as she fixed them on her father. She managed to lock eyes with him, and that’s all it took. Keila’s powers warped the air around them, before they burrowed straight into Samuel’s forehead, giving her a direct link to her father.

Keila’s powers pulled against her father’s, breaking past all his weak defenses, and diving straight into the center of his mind. Keila siphoned and pulled through her father’s memories, thousands of memories flashing across her mind in seconds, taking in all of her father’s strengths and weaknesses. But, the infiltration didn’t last long, before Keila was pushed out and back towards her own mind.

Delirious and slightly drunk, Keila tried to reach for her door handle, before the car was jerked, the entire thing spinning out in the middle of the road. Her father was on her in an instant, his eyes flashing dangerously as he pinned her beneath him.

“ _WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!”_ Blood smeared across Keila’s teeth and chin as she smiled up at her father, the fear that she had expelling from her body as she laughed directly in his face. She knew this is where her life ended, where she’d be at the gates of Hell, awaiting her punishment.

But, she wasn’t scared anymore. Not of her father, not of what reckoning that she was about to face. She was ready for whatever was about to come, and she was welcoming it with open arms. She buked her hips up, creating enough space between her and her father to get her knee into the open wound in her father’s gut. He pushed him back just enough for her to land a solid fist against his cheek, her knuckles swelling up against his cheek bone.

“ _I’m yer fuckin’ daughter_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SO SORRY! I've had so much happen since my last update! My computer got 'sick' and I had to fix that, I'm in the midst of planning my wedding and getting a new job, and I was just...lazy. I'm still motivated to write, I just wish y'all could see what I was thinking, the story is way cooler in my head! Anywhoo, a special thanks to infinity_dreamchaser, KBeautimous, escapizm, MiLady_Readsalot, and guests for the comments, bookmarks, and kudos! Thank you so much fro sticking with this story! I'll try to get better at my updating.

It was dark, darker than it had been in a long time in Kansas. The moon was hidden by massive black clouds, the only thing lighting up the twisting road was the headlights of cars who traveled down it. The bright lights of a truck rambling down the highway was nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s what was inside the truck that would cause worry.

Keila was bound in the back cab of the truck, her hands tied behind her back with a thick rope, her wrists cinched together and reddening from the roughness of the fraying rope. Her feet were bound in a similar manner, her ankle bones painfully jabbing into one another, her knees knocking every time she tried to move. There was duct tape wrapped around her head, pulling at her long hair, and making its way around to cover her dry lips.

Needless to say, the fight against her father put her in a precarious position. She had an upper hand in the beginning, and man, did it feel good to lay a few punches into the bastard. But, since she only had _some_ demonic energy (no super strength, or speed, or whatever) and her father was _chalk full of them_ , he quickly gained control and _beat her to a pulp_.

Her left eye was almost completely swollen shut, blood vessels bursting under her skin and already tinting it a nasty purple. She had cracked ribs, she could tell from the pain she felt when she tried to inhale through her broken nose, and she had a nasty cut in her hairline. It’s not the worst damage that she’s ever experienced from her father, but it had been a while since she’s been in the type of pain that she was in now.

“I will say, _Princess_ , that was pretty bold of ya to try and attack me like that.” Her father’s yellow eyes caught her only functional one at the moment, and he flashed her a sinister smile. He swerved the truck across the empty highway, the sudden movement causing Keila in the back to crash into the back doors, a muffled scream echoing from her taped lips.

“Bold, _but stupid_. I’d figured I would’ve taught you better than that.”

 _You did_. She thought grimly to herself. She knew that what she had done was stupid, but she was so overcome with emotion, _stupid fucking emotions_ , that most of the training that she did receive flew out the window. Her vision was narrowed in on finally standing up to her father after all those years, that she didn’t think anything through.

_It bit her in the ass. HARD._

The rest of the ride to their destination was quiet, her father humming along to some rock song on the radio, strumming his fingers against the worn steering wheel. If she didn’t know who was inhabiting that body, she would say he almost appeared _normal_. The way Samuel Campbell looked before he got a knife in the gut. It disturbed her, the fact that monster like her father could blend seamlessly into society.

_Monsters like her fooling those that she was beginning to care about._

Keila closed her eyes has her head began to throb. She wouldn’t be surprised if she had internal bleeding somewhere inside of her. She took a ragged breath through her crooked nose, blood running down, and opened her eyes again when she felt the car begin to slow and veer off to the side of the road.

“It’s show time, dearest daughter of mine.” The driver’s side door opened, before she was left in absolute silence for about ten seconds, before the door where her head was at wrenched open, and a massive hand wound its way through her dark locks, dragging her out of the truck. Her bruised body banged against the edge, before it fell with a thump to the hard ground below her. Her ribs screamed in protest as tears welled up in her eyes, her swollen eye slowly leaking the salty fluid.

Her father began to drag her by her hair across the dirt, rocks and pebbles scraping across her skin, cutting and knicking her. She tried to kick her legs, but since they were bound, all she managed to do was buck her hips up in the air. It did nothing to deter her father, as he continued to drag her across the ground, before he released his grip on her hair. Keila tried to roll, facing to where are father was, and when her good eye focused what was in front of her, her eye widened.

_The Impala, no._

She began to scream, her cries muted by the tape that was wrapped around her. She began to inch towards the car, where her father was hovering by the window, before his massive hand made contact with it.

“What did I tell you?!” The passenger door was wrenched open, Mary being dragged out by the arm, Jon Winchester opening the passenger door soon after.  Neither of them notice Keila who was slowly inching her way towards them, her throat aching from all the screaming that she had been doing.

“Ow! Dad, you’re hurting me!” John quickly ran to Mary, trying to wrench Samuel away from her. He shouted something towards Samuel, his cries jumbling in Keila’s ears as she tried to intervene. What happened next seemed to appear in slow motion.

Samuel released his grip on Mary, his eyes narrowing John who was approaching rapidly. Samuel raised his hands, first wrapping around John’s neck, then moving to the base of his skull, before the muscles in his arms tightened and he snapped John’s head to the side. Everything seemed to be silent, everything except for the audible crack that was heard, before John’s body slumped to the floor.

Mary’s hand flew over her mouth as Samuel shrugged nonchalantly, stepping away from the body, before giving a light kick to his legs. Mary collapsed to the ground, crawling towards John, before she cradled his twisted head in her hands. Tears streaked down her cheeks, her bottom lip quivering as she looked at her lover lying in a heap on the ground.

“You killed him.” Her voice was weak, cracking as she carded her slender fingers through John’s dark hair, her eyes shining with tears. A vicious smiled pulled across Samuel’s lips as he sauntered around the two.

“Oh, not just John, _sweetie pie_ , but Mommy and Daddy too.” Samuel moved to unzip his jacket, revealing his bloody stomach, now dried onto his white shirt. Mary’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open slowly.

“No…” It was then that Mary’s eyes wandered to the other body that was bound and gagged on the floor. Keila had quite trying to make her way towards the couple, the pain in her body finally becoming too much. She took her breaths through her eyes as her vision began to swim.

“Keila? Oh, my God, KEILA!” Mary stumbled away from her deceased lover, trying to make her way towards Keila, before Samuel stepped between the two, staring down at Mary.

“Nice try, _sweetie-pie_ , but she’s off limits to you. You’re a little orphan now, Mary.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she sat on her haunches, looking up at the demon that had possessed her father.

“You son of a bitch!” Samuel places a hand over his non-beating heart, a look of hurt crossing his face. Mary slowly makes her way back towards John, her eyes never leaving the beat up and bloodied form of Keila that was just behind Samuel’s heels.

“Oh, sticks and stones may break my bones, and they won't bring your family back either.” Mary sneers up at her father, her lips pulling back slightly.

“I’ll kill you, I swear to God.” Samuel chuckles as he makes his way closer to Mary, not sparing a backwards glance at Keila bound behind him.

“Oh, let’s not get nasty.” Samuel sinks down beside Mary, who is again cradling her lost lover in her arms, tears streaming down her face and dripping onto John’s leather jacket.

“Now look, we both said some things that we regret. Let's, um... kiss and make up.” Mary ignores the demon beside her, pulling John closer to her, hunching her body over slightly. Samuel watches momentarily, before rolling his eyes and clearing his throat.

“I'll tell you what, I'll arrange to have lover boy here brought back breathing.” That stops Mary for a moment, her eyes flickering from her lover in her arms, to her possessed father beside her.

“My parents too?” Her voice was small, hopeful, and that caused Keila to start a ruckus again. She began screaming again, her voice raw and scratchy as she attempted to move towards them again. Samuel shot his eyes up as he watched Keila writhe on the ground, a small smile creeping across his face.

“Nope, sorry doll, that's not on the table. But, think about it, you could be done with hunting forever. The white picket fence, station wagon, couple of kids, no more monsters or fear. I'll make sure of it.” Mary paused for a moment, completely oblivious to Keila who was crying out to her.

“What? And all it costs is my soul?” A sinister smile broke across Samuel’s lips.

“Oh, no, you can keep your soul, I just need permission.” Mary pulled back a little bit, looking at her father.

“For what?”

“Mmm, in ten years I need to swing by your house for a little something, that's all.”

“ _For what?!_ ” Samuel raised his hands up, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

“Relax. As long as I'm not interrupted, nobody gets hurt, I promise.” He pauses for a moment,

“Or you can spend the rest of your life, desperate and alone.”

Mary lets out a loud sob, finally looking up at Keila who is still struggling, her muffled screams turning into wracking sobs. Mary’s lips tremble as she looks at the woman bound on the ground, her eye swollen shut, blood pooling from her nose and down her fore head.

“I’m so sorry.” She whispers as she looks towards her father, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Mary? It's a good deal. So, what do you say?” Suddenly, a car tears through the area, pulling up alongside the truck, before a door is opened and slammed shut.

“No!” Dean comes barreling up, the Colt in his hand drawn and ready to take fire. Before he has a chance to pull off a shot, smoke spills out of Samuel, twisting into the sky and disappearing into the night. Samuel’s body slumps over onto the ground, and Dean squeezes his eyes shut. That’s when he hears the muffled sobs to his left. His emerald eyes land on the broken body tied up beside him, and his heart drops.

“ _KEILA!_ ” He rushes towards her, dropping to his knees gently pulling her body towards him. He slowly peels back the tape from her mouth, only just enough so she can take big gulps of air, her body convulsing with sobs.

“I-I-I-I tried De-Dean. I tr-tr-tried so h-h-hard.” Dean placed his hand on the top of her forehead, his hand getting covered in her blood as he looked at his parents. John is slowly reaching his hand up towards Mary’s face, and she quickly grabs it and pulls it to her cheek. Dean can feel a tear running down his cheek, before he hears a loud ‘ _SWOOSH_ ’ and a hand on his shoulder.

When Mary looks back up to where Dean and Keila were at, there’s no one there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've been getting a itch to write another story, but I don't want to screw myself over with putting to much on my plate. What do y'all think? It'd be a Walking Dead story. Let me know what y'all think?
> 
> Anyway, a special thanks to infinty_dreamchaser, KBeautimous, and guests for the comments, and kudos! I really appreciate y'all continuing to support this story!

Keila’s eyes snapped open abruptly, her lungs pulling in as much air as she could, before she sat up quickly in the itchy motel bed.

_Wait…motel bed?_

Keila’s eyes danced around the darkened room, noting the TV sitting directly in front of the bed, the stained walls and dirty carpet, and the shitty curtains allowing the street lights from outside peek underneath the heavy fabric. Keila drew in another deep breath, nothing how it was easier for her to breathe. She placed her hand gingerly to her face, probing slightly. Her nose didn’t appear to be broken anymore, and she couldn’t feel the cut that was in her hairline. Her dark brows drew together, before a slight ‘swoosh’ blew her hair gently, and her eyes glanced over to the side of the bed. She let out a loud yelp and scooched towards the other side as she saw the silhouette of a figure standing.

“I healed you.” The deep, gravelly voiced seemed to echo throughout the small hotel room, and for some odd reason, Keila felt her body relax a little. Her eyes were still wide as she took in the figure that was in her room. A tan trench coat brushed black-clad calves, and the button-down shirt appeared to be slightly wrinkled, the blue tie hanging around the figure’s neck was of center, and hung loosely.

“Castiel.” The angel in question shot his brows up slightly, a small smirk pulling at the corner of his plump lips as he continued to stare at the beautiful woman on the bed. Despite not being in direct contact with humans for some time, Keila couldn’t help but admire his Father’s work. His cerulean eyes moved up and down Keila’s body involuntarily, and when his eyes finally landed on hers, he couldn’t help but be curious about why her face was twisted the way that it was.

“Was that really necessary?” Castiel’s eyebrows quirked at the woman’s question, his vessel shuffling its feet without his control. He continued to hold eye contact with Keila, her golden eyes boring into his, a dark brow arched slightly. She continued to stare Castiel down, before she got unnerved at Castiel’s unblinking form. She scoffed lightly, turning away from the angel, and gently placing her feet on the ground. She stood up slowly, her legs shaking slightly, before she straightens up and looked over her shoulder.

“Well? You gonna tell me what happened? Or, am I gonna have to play 20 questions?” Castiel’s brows dipped slightly, before he slowly cocked his head to the side. He opened his mouth slightly, before closing it, then opening it again.

“I do not know what this ’20 questions’ is, but I will tell you what has happened.” Keila couldn’t help the small smile that pulled across her lips, her hip jutting out slightly as she watched the angel. She noticed that his body didn’t move much, and the breaths that he did take were long and slow, like he was using the barest amount of energy.

“You and Dean both needed to see that your destinies could not have been changed. Even given the opportunity to stop it all, you would still end up on the same road that leads you to this exact moment.” Keila stared down the angel slightly, before she moved towards the small coffee machine that was perched on the counter outside the bathroom. She flicked the faucet on, filling the small coffee pot about halfway, before turning the water back off, and pouring the contents of the pot into the top of the machine. She then ripped the crappy coffee grinds open with her teeth, pouring them into the filter and turning the device on. It was only until she was done, that she turned back towards the angel.

“But, why was I there? That seemed like something that Dean could’ve experienced on his own.” The angel stepped towards Keila, which put her on a certain high alert. Even though she felt immediately relaxed in the angel’s presence, it didn’t erase the fact that she knew that he could kill her in an instant. And, if that were to happen, she at least wanted to put up a fight.

“There wouldn’t be much of a fight. I could overpower you easily.” Keila glared towards the angel, grabbing a small Styrofoam cup, and pouring the dark liquid into it. She blew on it slightly, watching the steam swirl around her face, before she took a small sip. She cursed herself slightly as her tongue was scalded by the bitter liquid, before she set it down on the counter, deciding to save her mouth from more torture and just to wait for the coffee to cool.

“Quit doing that. And, you’re avoidin’ my question. Why’d I have to be shot back into the past?” The angel continued to move closer to Keila, before his chest was bumping up against hers in an instant. Keila bit back the surprised gasp that was stuck in her throat, and looked up at the seraph. She could see his grace dancing behind his vessel’s eyes, the light blue shining brightly, creating intricate designs at the corners of the vessel’s eyes.

Castiel raised his hand gently, placing it on the hinge of Keila’s jaw, his fingers digging into her skin slightly, before a cooling sensation ran through Keila’s body, that was followed by a short burning sensation. Castiel dropped his hand to his side slowly, but didn’t step away from Keila, causing her to look up at his massive frame. Though he wasn’t as tall as the Winchesters, _those two were just freaks of nature when it came to height_ , Castiel still managed to tower over her, and she wasn’t that short either.

“You needed to go back to see what your father was fully capable of. And, to see if you are really here to help, or hurt, the Winchesters.” Keila’s heart stopped momentarily, her eyes widening slightly, before they narrowed and she stepped away from the angel. Her shoulders had squared themselves, and her golden eyes seemed to bore through Castiel’s, her pupils all but tiny pin points as she glared at him.

“So, you’re tellin’ me that I was just sent back to be a punchin’ bag for you an’ your little family upstairs, huh? Just so I could _prove_ to y’all that I wouldn’t get in the way of whatever in the hell you ‘ave planned for the Winchesters? Really? How fuckin’nice.” Venom dripped from every word as Castiel watched the woman in front of him straighten her back out, her stance widening a bit, and her fists clenching. He could see her energy pulsating around her, the dark waves flowing off her and mingling with his own grace, the two energies interlocking in this intense dance for dominance. Castiel flared his grace out slightly, but that didn’t cause Keila to back down like he thought it would. Instead, her energy began to grow, until the room was almost suffocating to be in. Her eyes were shining their sickly yellow as they bore into hers, and if Castiel had been any other supernatural being, he would’ve been running scared.

But, he wasn’t.

He flared his grace out, immediately stamping down Keila’s energy as his eyes began to shine bright. Keila’s energy retreated, but her eyes were still that sickly yellow. She continued to glower at the angel, her eyes never wavering from his.

“My intentions were for you not to come into harm’s way while you traveled back, but to see what your father was capable of. I did not know your hatred for him would lead you to act out irrationally.” Keila scoffed at the angel’s words, her eyes still boring into his.

“I showed what that monster did to me. Did ‘ya think that I’d really want anything to do with the bastard? Besides, I know what he’s capable of, you don’t have to remind me.” Against her will, Keila’s eyes shined with unshed tears, her bottom lashes clumping together. Keila didn’t know what this slight pull was in the center of his chest, but it made him want to reach out to her, but he tamped it down. However, he did retract his grace to almost nothing, stepping towards Keila slowly. Castiel continued his slow approach, as if he were walking towards a wild animal, before he was once again chest to chest with Keila, his eyes staring down at her.

Keila’s jaw was locked as she looked up at the angel, her eyes still glowing with her power, a stand-off between the two. Except for Castiel seemed to be completely ignoring it, which pissed Keila off even more. Castiel opened his mouth slightly, a small puff of air escaping past his lips, before his deep voice broke the tension.

“From what I have seen of your past, you are nothing like your father. Do not group yourself in with him.” All the fight that Keila had left her body immediately, and she nearly slumped into the angel in front of her. Her hands gripped at his trench coat, digging into the fabric as her chin pressed against her chest. Tears ran freely down her cheeks, droplets falling onto the dirty motel carpet.

 _Every time_.

Keila didn’t know what it was about this angel, but every time she was in close proximity to him, he managed to break down every wall that she had ever built up. It was like he was able to see the real her, the her that she had yet to discover. And, it terrified her. Keila had never opened her soul up to someone before, and it was like the angel could pull her apart so easily, without her putting up much of a fight.

Maybe it was her wanting redemption so bad, that she bared her soul to the Heavenly being. Whatever it was, it scared Keila to death. But, she couldn’t help but feel relieved. _Relieved that someone knew her entirely, and didn’t sun her for it._

“’m sorry.” She sniffled, releasing her grip on his trench coat and stepping back. Her chin was still pressed to her chest, before two fingers gently tugged it up, her wet amber eyes boring into crystal blue.

“I believe I am the one who owes you an apology. I am sorry, Keila. It was not my intention to hurt you.” Keila’s heart swelled slightly, staring at the handsome angel in front of her. Castiel dropped his hand, and stepped back, clearing his throat. He stared at the woman in front of him, before nodding his head slightly.

“I need to awaken Dean. I will see you again, Keila.” And, in a blink of an eye, the angel was gone, leaving Keila alone in her hotel room. She let out a quiet sigh, before she turned towards her abandoned coffee cup on the counter, taking a long sip.

 _It was fucking cold_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to KBeautimous, Bellenoir, Spnlife, and guests for the comments, kudos, and bookmarks. I know that my updates have been sporadic, and I'm trying to work on that. I love this story, and I genuinely love y'all for loving it as much as I do. Seeing your reviews and follows really brightens my day, so thank you so much. Y'all don't understand how much I appreciate it.

It didn’t take long before there was a strong knock at Keila’s motel door. Her eyes skirted across the darkened room quickly, before she let out a deep sigh, her hands running through her now damp hair. The quick shower that she took didn’t do much to clear her mind, like she had hoped it would, but it did leave her feeling better than she had when she first woke up back in her own time.

Keila made her way over to the door, opening to reveal Dean Winchester, a tight look on his face. His shoulders were pulled back, hands shoved into a dark leather jacket, lips pulled into a tight line. Keila opened her door a little wider, her eyebrows pulling down, face puzzled.

“You oka-“

“Sam’s gone. Got the address and we need to go get him.” Keila blinked up at the hunter, his words rolling around in her head, before she nodded slowly and pulled away from the door. She walked over towards her bed quickly, plopping down on it and pulling her Converse towards her, slipping them onto her feet, her fingers nimbly tying them, before she was up again and heading towards the door. She plucked her hoodie from the back of the chair and pocketed her key card as she made her way to the hunter.

Dean turned his body to the side, allowing Keila just enough room to pass, her damp hair brushing against his shoulder, a whiff of honey caressing his nose. Dean pulled her door shut quietly as he watched her make his way towards his Baby. He let out a small sigh, before he made his way after her, long legs catching up to her in an instant. She was already in the passenger seat, pulling the seat belt across her when Dean entered the car, putting the keys in the ignition, the car coming to life.

They were quiet for the beginning of the ride, the tension slowly rising. Keila pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, her hand absent-mindly braiding her damp her that was draped across her shoulders. She would braid it one way, complete it, undo it, then braid it again in another way. She was fishtailing her hair Dean finally spoke up.

“You uhm, you look better than the last time I saw you.” Keila’s hands paused for a moment, but then continued their braid, as her eyes glanced towards the hunter beside her. Dean’s emerald eyes were focused on the road, but she could see the way his eyes crinkled slightly, his face looking tired.

“I could say the same to you.” His lips quirked a little bit, a short laugh huffing out from his pursed lip, before his shoulders slouched a little bit. He leaned back into his seat slightly, fingers rapping on the steering wheel slightly, before he glanced towards the woman in the passenger seat. When his eyes locked with hers momentarily, a jolt of regret coursed through his body, before he returned his attention back to the road before him. He was quiet, mulling over what he was going to say to her.

“I’m sorry – “

“I don’t blame you.” Dean was stunned into silence as Keila spoke. Her entire body was rigid, tense, as she spoke. She was sitting straight up, eyes staring at the road ahead of her.

“Whatever is goin’ on in that pretty little head of yours, I want you to know that I don’t blame you. It’s not your fault what happened back in whatever time we were in. So, don’t hate yourself for it, because I don’t.” Dean was silent, his eyes darting towards her every chance he got. She was still staring straight ahead, not looking towards him. He could see how tense her shoulders were, how the vein in her neck pulsed with her heart beat, how her damp hair darkened her shirt.

“So, you think I’m pretty?” Keila couldn’t stop the snort that burst out of her nose, her hand coming up to cover it. She looked over towards Dean, a cocky smirk pulled across his lips, and she began to laugh, throwing her head back lightly. Dean chuckled a long with her, before the smile slowly slipped off his face and his brows furrowed again.

Keila glanced over and saw the intense glare that Dean had, and sighed quietly. She angled her body towards him, placing her hand gently on his shoulder, before pulling back and punching him in it. Dean jerked the wheel a little bit, a hiss slipping out between his lips as he reached his other hand up to grab his shoulder.

“What the hell was that for, _Honey_?!” Keila shrugged her shoulders, turning her body back straight in her seat and looking out towards the road. Dean continued to rub his shoulder, glancing towards her, before he dropped his arm back towards the steering wheel.

“You know, that actually _hurt_.” Again, Keila shrugged her shoulders, but this time small smile pulled at her lips. Her hands went back into her dark hair, untangling the braid she had made, and starting over again. Dean huffed out a sigh, mumbling something under his breath as he continued to drive.

“Quit bein’ such a baby.” Dean’s emerald eyes shot towards Keila as she nonchalantly continued to braid her hair, eyes lazily dancing across the scenery.

“I’m _not_ being a _baby._ ” Keila’s golden orbs locked onto his for a minute, before a small smile crossed her lips.

“You sure are poutin’ like one.” Dean glared at her, turning his attention back to the road. His fingers drummed against the steering wheel for a moment, before he sucked in a deep breath. Keila glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, brows pulled together at the hunter’s behavior. She began to open her mouth, but Dean had beat her too it.

“I don’t like my people getting hurt, Keila. And, seein’ what that bastard did to you…It scared me. It scared me of what woulda happened if he had gotten to you earlier in this time. I’m just glad I killed the bastard when I did.” Keila’s eyes were wide at Dean’s confession, and it pulled at her heart strings for a moment, before anger coursed through her veins. She closed her eyes, flashing to their haunting yellow behind her lids, before she let out a long, slow breath, before she opened them again.

She shouldn’t have been mad at Dean, and in all honestly, she wasn’t. He didn’t know that what he had saw of her, that was normal for her. Broken bones, open wounds, it was something that she endured for years, for most of her life, really. She had been free from the torture for almost two years now, but that didn’t mean she was over what her father did to her. Seeing him again, in his prime and witnessing the destruction of the Winchester’s unfold in front of her, the guilt that was eating her up turned into rage.

“I should’ve killed him.” Dean looked over towards Keila, his brows dropping as he looked at the woman next to her. It amazed him sometimes, watching he woman transform into someone almost completely different. Dean could tell that she was pissed, he could hear it in her voice. Keila had been traveling with them for two months now, and he picked up on a lot of her cues.

Like, in this moment, he knew Keila was pissed. Her southern twang was gone, her voice hard and with no accent. Her body was like a rod, straight as could be and muscles wound tight. And, her most giving sign was her eyes. They were normally a nice deep honey color, but whenever she got pissed or upset, they turned into a gold color, almost shining unnaturally.

“Keila, he kidnapped you. There was nothing you could- “

“I’m not some weak little girl, Dean Winchester. You don’t know the life I lead before this, and you don’t know what I’ve been through. I can hold my own.” Dean’s anger and pride swelled within him, and he bit his tongue of the things he wanted to say, the things that he knew would dig into Keila’s side and upset her more. That was Dean’s defense mechanism, hurt those who’ve hurt you, and normally Dean would’ve unleashed his harsh words on her, how she resembled a weak girl when she came back with a busted shoulder from the ghosts, where she froze up when Yellow Eyes killed his grandparents, he wanted to unleash all of this on her.

But, he didn’t.

He just sucked in a long breath and clenched the steering wheel, eyes glaring at the road ahead of him, before he made a turn here, and there, and parked his car pulling up to a seemingly empty warehouse. He lets how his breath, glancing towards Keila, who has basically changed right in front of him again. Her eyes are soft and wide, lips pulled down slightly at the corners. She opens her mouth, then closes it again, looking away. Dean leans towards the car door, popping the handle, when there’s a tight grip on his forearm. He turns his body back slightly to look towards Keila, whose nails are digging into his leather jacket.

“I-I’m sorry, Dean. I shouldn’t have reacted like that. I’ve… I’ve never had someone care about me before.” Dean looked down at her silent, before he gently tilted his head towards her, a small smirk across his face.

“Well, _Honey_ , you got some now. Better get used to it.” Dean gently stepped out of the car, Keila’s arm falling silently down, before a small smile graced her lips as she stepped out as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's no excuse. I've just been lazy at updating.
> 
> A special thanks to KBeautimous, Rebecca_lindsay, kupoyo, filthie, and guests for the comments, bookmarks, and kudos. I'm gonna be honest in telling y'all, that a comment that one of y'all sent me really got my ass into gear about updating this story. It makes me so appreciative that y'all are invested into this story as much as I am.

Keila knew Sam was up to no good the minute that she saw where they were. An abandoned warehouse, in the middle of nowhere, where no one could find them. Her stomach rolled with anxiety, and her heart hammered in her chest. The eldest Winchester stalked forward, emerald eyes narrowed.

 _He knew too_.

He probably didn’t know exactly _what_ Sam was doing, but he knew that good things don’t go down in abandoned buildings. But, he couldn’t feel what Keila could. Couldn’t feel the demonic presence that was so close to Sam, practically curled up next to him. And, he couldn’t feel how relaxed Sam was around that energy. How there was no fight against it, how he _accepted_ it. No, Keila knew what they were about to walk in too, and it made her blood run cold.

Dean held his hand out in front of Keila, nodding towards the dusty window that allowed access to the main floor of the warehouse. They could hear muffled voices, and crept closer, standing on either side of the dirty window and peered in. Keila drew in a short breath at what she saw.

Sam was standing over someone tied, his hand pressed to his forehead as the person screams. A dark-haired woman stands beside him, a small smile playing on her luscious lips, as the man suddenly begins thrashing, before a vile black smoke pours out of him, and burns through the floor. Sam closes his eyes for a minute, breathing heavily, before he opens them and weakly smiles at the woman next to him. He steps forward, placing his pointer and middle fingers on the man’s pulse point.

“How’d it feel?” The woman steps toward Sam, her hips swaying gently. Sam smiles up at her momentarily, before rising to his full height again.

“Good. No more headaches.” Sam begins undoing the knots that bound the man to the chair, as the woman places a hand on her hip.

“None? That’s good.” The man slowly begins to wake, eyes blinking fervently. Sam catches the man as he stumbles slightly, muttering something to him, before hoisting him up gently.

That was all Dean had to see, really. Keila glanced over at the green-eyed hunter and saw the tic in his jaw and she knew. This was not about to end well. Dean waits until Sam and the man he was carrying are almost at the door right beside them, before he swings it open slowly, glaring at his little brother.

Sam stops, eyes wide as he looks at his older brother, and notices the deep scowl on his face. His eyes quickly glance over his shoulder and sees Keila standing behind him, a sorrowful look shining in her amber eyes.

“So…anything you wanna tell me, Sam?” Sam blinks slowly at Dean, a look of innocence on his face. The woman standing behind him just watches on, a small smirk on her face, before her eyes land on Keila. The smirk drops instantly, and she narrows her eyes at the woman standing beside Dean, her head quirking to the side slightly.

“Dean, hold on, okay? Just let me- “Dean hold his hand up, stalking towards his little brother.

“You gonna say, "let me explain"? You're gonna explain this? How about this? Why don't you start with who she is, and what the hell is she doing here?” Sam turns back towards the woman, who quickly ceases her glare towards Keila and smiles at Dean.

“It's good to see you again, Dean.” Dean stares hard at the woman, a look of confusion crossing his face, before his brows shoot up.

“Ruby?” The woman smiles a little more as Dean turns toward his brother.

“Is that Ruby?” Sam shrugs his shoulders sheepishly as Dean continues to dart his eyes between the two of them. He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes, before he lunges at the woman.

Dean grabbed a hold of Ruby’s shoulders, slamming her against the wall, before pulling a knife out from behind him. Ruby’s eyes widened slightly as they begin to struggle for it. A shout was heard from somewhere, before Sam grabs a hold of Dean’s hand and yanks the knife away. That small distraction gave Ruby enough time to flip Dean against the wall and pinned him there, her eyes flashing black for a moment.

“Ruby! Stop it!” Her grip on Dean’s neck doesn’t waver. Until she hears a gun cocking in her ear. Her black eyes glance over to see the woman from before, amber eyes practically glowing, a dark scowl on her face. Keila nudges the gun up against Ruby’s temple, before Ruby released her grip on the eldest Winchester.

Dean steps away from the two women, eyes dark with anger as he looks at his little brother. Ruby tries to turn towards Keila, but Keila presses the gun harder into her temple, causing the woman to hiss slightly.

“Where did they find you?” Keila reveals a sinister smile, before leaning closer to Ruby, whispering harshly into her ear.

“From the same black pit you came from, bitch.” Ruby’s eyes narrowed slightly, before they flashed back brown, her arms slowly raising in a sign of retreat. Keila didn’t move, gun still pressed against Ruby’s temple, before Sam’s voice rang out.

“Please, Keila. She’s not going to hurt anyone.” Keila’s eyes flickered over to the younger Winchester, before she slowly lowered the gun and stepped away from the demon.

“Coulda fooled me by the way she had your brother by his neck.” Sam cast his eyes downward for a moment, before he looked towards Ruby. She slowly made her way back towards Sam, eyes alight with fury.

“Ruby, he’s hurt.” Her eyes peel away from the two in front of her and over towards the man that is hanging limply on Sam’s shoulders. Sam nods towards the door.

“Go.” Ruby hesitates for a moment, looking back towards Dean and Keila, a small grimace crossing her face before she concedes and takes the man from Sam, slowly attempts to make her way out of the warehouse.

“Where the hell do you think you're going?” She glances over her shoulder towards the eldest Winchester.

“The ER... unless you want to go another round first.” Dean opens his mouth to retort, before another voice cuts through the warehouse.

“Sweetheart, last I checked you didn’t win that last round. Doubt you’d win the next one.” Dean glanced over at Keila, whose eyes were glaring daggers at Ruby. Ruby returned the same gaze, before shaking her head. Dean glances over at Sam, whose staring at him with pleading eyes.

“Dean.” Dean shrugs his shoulders, stalking past his brother and Ruby, exiting the warehouse.

“Dean!” Sam’s eyes frantically land on Keila, whose staring at him forlornly. She walks up to the youngest Winchester, grabbing his head with her hands, and placing a small kiss on his cheek.

“I can’t help you, Sambo. You’re gonna have to make right with him.” Sam looks at her with sad eyes, nodding his head sadly. Keila begins to exit the building, before she stops and turns towards Sam.

“Sambo?” Sam looks up at her, eyes shining slightly.

“It’ll be a helluva lot easier if you get rid of this bitch.” Keila juts her thumb over towards Ruby, who scowls at her. Keila sends her a sardonic smile, before making her way out.

_This was going to be hell to deal with._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M NOT DEAD, I PROMISE!  
> Life, man. It just keeps going, even if you don't want it too. A special thanks to kayleecastle, Ms_Kardec, Supreme Fangirl, Rebecca_lindsay, and SherlockianInHeels for the comments and kudos. It means so much to me that y'all support this story the way you do and I can't thank you enough for it. I love to hear from you guys, so don't be afraid to leave a comment!

 

* * *

To say the car ride was tense from the warehouse was an understatement. Keila could feel the anger rolling off Dean in waves, and she didn't really know what to do about it. She had been on the brunt end of the hunter's anger a time or two, but she had never seen him like this. Honestly, it scared her. It made the that she heard about the Winchester's seem a little more true. That they were brutal, ruthless, and that once they were pissed off, there was a sure chance that someone was going to end up dead. Traveling with them, she sort of forgot about the stories.

But now? Now, she remembered why they were so true. The eldest Winchester was driving at break neck speeds down the abandoned highway, his knuckles shining white as he gripped the steering wheel with all his might. His green eyes were a few shades darker, hard as steel, and glaring at the patch of road in front of him. Keila could see jaw clenching every few minutes, and the large vein in his neck pulsating with rushing blood. Overall, he looked down right terrifying at this moment, and Keila wanted to do nothing more than run away.

She knew what anger like this could do to somebody who unwillingly walked into its path, and right now she was trapped in a car with it. Her mind wandered momentarily to the time that her father had sent her to the hospital, broken ribs, and fingers, all because she was watching a squirrel bury his food, instead of her father's important lessons.

_Now, she was extremely cautious about where her attention went._

She wanted to help Dean, hell, she wanted to help _Sam_. She knew what Sam had been doing, ever since she dug into Ruby's mind a while back at the motel. But, she would've _never_ pictured the way Dean would react to it. Almost every monster, demon, vampire, werewolf…. _whatever_ knew the same thing.

_Don't hurt the youngest Winchester, or you're dead._

Hell, when word got out that Dean not only killed her father, but sold his soul to bring his baby brother back? A lot of the supernatural world was on edge. Hunters were notorious for being reckless, but _hell_. Dean Winchester was on a whole another level. Which is why, at this exact moment in time, Keila felt genuinely _sad_ for the two.

_And, absolutely scared out of her mind._

If this is how Dean had reacted to finding out that his brother was dabbling a bit with some demonic blood, she'd hate to see how'd she would end up. Probably with a bullet straight between her eyes. She was more wary now, more cautious than before. If the Winchesters even caught an inkling of who she really was…

"Thank you, for back there." Keila snapped out of her train of thought, glancing towards the hunter beside her. He still had a death grip on the steering wheel, but his jaw had relaxed some. She gave him a small smile, before nodding her head slightly.

"It was no problem, really. Wouldn't have mind putting a bullet in her." The corner of Dean's lip tugged u slightly, before it fell off his face completely, turning back into a scowl. Keila continued staring at him, mouth opening slightly, before she closed it and pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth, gnawing on it slightly. Dean rolled his eyes.

"No, _Honey_ , I don't want to talk about it." Keila's eyes widened for a second, before a small smile curled across her lips.

" _But_ , _Dean_ , I _wahnt yew ta talk about ya feelin's._ " Dean through a puzzled look towards Keila, eyebrows arched slightly. The smile on Keila's face broadened a little more, as she turned in her seat so she could face the hunter better.

" _Now, Dean. Ya know it'sa not good to keep all that pent up inside jah. Ya need to talk about it!"_ Dean's lips quirked ever so slightly, his grip on the steering wheel loosening ever so slightly. Keila continued to grin at the hunter, body completely turned, the seat belt digging into her waist and shoulder.

"What? You don't like my Dr. Phil impression?" The smile on Dean's lips grew slightly, before a small chuckle broke through.

"You sound more like Hank Hill then Dr. Phil." Keila scoffed, turning back in her seat, the seatbelt snapping back into place.

" _Feelin's, propane…what's the difference?"_ Dean laughed a little bit louder at the deep octave that Keila produced, his eyes crinkling at the side momentarily.

"You're shit at impersonations, you know that?" Keila placed a hand over her mouth in faux shock, before she lightly rapped Dean on the shoulder.

"I'll have you know I'm _excellent_ at impersonations. You just suck at recognizes who they are." Dean too his eyes off the road to look at her, smiling, before focusing on the road again. The dim brightness that was in them, slowly began to leech out again, and the small smile on his face slowly slid off. The Impala began to slow down from its break neck speeds, to the actual speed limit, then slower, and slower, until the car was stopped on the side of the road.

Dean was still clenching the steering wheel, staring ahead, his eyes burning, as Keila watched. She pulled her lip back between her teeth, watching the hunter have an internal fight with himself. She felt awkward, she didn't know what to do. She always tried to lighten the mood with jokes, but when that didn't work, she was at a loss.

She wasn't a touchy-feely person, and only doled out hugs when she felt necessary. And, she knew for a fact, _Dean Winchester was not a hugger_. So, she sat quietly in the car, listening to the cricket's chirp outside.

"What am I supposed to do?" She glanced over at Dean, who had now dropped his hands in his lap, the blood rushing back towards his knuckles. She stared at his hand for a moment, before she looked up at his face. He looked tired, eyes drooping slightly and shoulders hunched. The stubble on his chin was on the verge of becoming a small beard from the lack of his shaving, and his hair was slightly askew. Keila took a small intake of breath staring at him.

"Do you want to hear my actual opinion, or do you want to hear something that will make you feel justified?" A low growl rumbled in Dean's throat, before he dropped his head and cast his eyes towards Keila, chin pressed against his chest.

"Tell me your opinion." Keila nodded her head slowly, before she slowly tore her eyes away from the beautiful man beside her. She worried on her lip slightly, before popping it out and sighing. She rolled her shoulders back once, before she began to speak.

"You need to be there for him. I'm not saying what he's doing is right, but he had the right intentions. I'm also not saying who he's keeping as company is all that right either. But, I think he's trying. He just went about it the wrong way." It was silent in the Impala has Keila's words floated through the air. Dean continued to sit in the driver's seat, chin tucked to his chest, staring at Keila. His eyes had a far-off look, so Keila wasn't really sure if he was staring at her, or _at her_.

Dean didn't say anything as he lifted his head up and started the car up. He still didn't say anything as they pulled back on the road and continued back towards the motel. Not a single word was said as the pulled into the motel parking lot, or when Dean cut the car off and stepped out, making his way towards the room. Nothing was said as Keila sat in the passenger side, lip pulled between her teeth, hearing the commotion from inside.

Yelling, screaming, glass breaking, hollow thuds. Nothing was said as the two brothers stepped out of the motel room, Dean in front of Sam, eyes smoldering. Nothing was said as Dean yanked open the car door, falling into the driver's seat, while the back door was opened gingerly, Sam slowly entering the car. Nothing was said as Keila and Sam made eye contact through the rearview mirror, Keila's eyes filled with worry as she looked at Sam's busted lip.

Nothing was said the entire way to their next case, and the silence was becoming deafening.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... I'm sorry?
> 
> A special thanks to, Supreme Fan Girl, guests, cassdrankmyliqourstore, Birdie831, and SherlockianInHeels for the comments, bookmarks, and kudos! Y'all don't understand how grateful I am for your support in this story!

The night blanketed the highway, the only thing breaking through the darkness was two headlights, driving along the empty road. The sleek black muscle car hugged the curves tightly, the steady purr of the engine echoing in the still air. The driver of the car had his emerald eyes focused on the road ahead of him, gently easing the metal beast around another curve. In the passenger seat next to him, sat a dark-haired woman, eyes almost shining in the dark. Her head was leaned back against the headrest, arms crossed across her chest. In the backseat, the silhouette of a figure could be seen, leaned against the front seat, shaggy hair falling slightly in their face.

“I can’t believe it. Mom, a hunter?” The massive figure in the back leaned forward a little bit more, hazel eyes glowing with excitement. The driver shrugged his shoulders lightly, making eye contact briefly, before turning his attention back to the road.

“I wouldn't have believed it either if I hadn't seen it myself. That woman could kick some ass. I mean, she almost took me down.” The woman in the passenger seat smiled slightly, remembering the encounter a little differently.

“How’d she look? I mean, was she happy?” The driver paused for a moment, thinking, before he opened his mouth to speak.

“Yeah, she was awesome. Funny and smart. So, hopeful.” His eyes locked with the man in the back seat for a moment.

“Dad, too. Until of course…” A tense silence fell over the car, before the man in the back sighed.

“What?” Hazel eyes connected the emerald for just a moment, before they tore away and looked out the window. Shadowed shapes flew by the car as the man spoke.

“Nothin’.” The woman in the passenger seat turned her body ever so slightly, arms still crossed over her chest. She made eye contact with the giant, before he sighed again.

“It's just, our parents. And now we find out our grandparents too? Our whole family murdered and for what? So, Yellow Eyes could get in my nursery and bleed in my mouth?” A look of confusion drew across the driver’s face, while one of fear pulled across the passenger’s. The man in the back seat was almost oblivious to both.

_Almost_.

“Sam, I never said anything about demon blood.” The driver’s eyes locked with Sam’s, who dropped his head guiltily. The driver huffed out a sarcastic laugh, shaking his head.

“You knew about that?” Sam still doesn’t look at the driver, head down and eyes dancing around the car, anywhere but the front seat.

“Yeah, for about a year.” The driver sucks in a breath, jaw clenched and eyes back on the road, before he slowly lets it out.

“A whole year?” Sam ducks his head lower in the back seat, hands fiddling with the ends of his flannel.

“I should have told you. I'm sorry.” The driver’s jaw clenches, eyes still focused on the road.

“You've been saying that a lot lately, Sam. But whatever. You don't want to tell me, you don't have to. It's fine.” Sam let out a sigh, before looking at his older brother.

“Dean.” Dean said nothing, eyes still focused on the road ahead of them. Sam looked towards the woman in the front seat, eyes pleading. She gave him a small smile and a shrug od her shoulders. Sam let out an exasperated sigh and slouched back against the seat.

“Whatever.”

The woman in the front seat uncrosses her arm, stretching them above her head, until they hit the cloth of the top above her. She then leans sideways towards the window, then the driver, her back cracking with each movement.

“ _Honey_ , you have to get that checked out. It sounds disgusting.” The woman just grunted at Dean, before she pressed her head into the back of the headrest and bowed her body out, a deep hollow pop resounding from her lower back.

“You’re just mad because your back won’t pop.” Dean scoffed, a small tug at the edge of his lips, before his attention was pulled back to the road.

“Keila, did you meet my mom too?” Keila’s golden eyes glanced up into the rearview mirror, where they contacted hazel ones. She could see the curiosity in their eyes, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Yeah, I did. Met your whole family.” Sam leaned forward again, his chin practically resting on Keila’s shoulders. She turned slightly, looking down at him.

“What were they like?” She smiled at him, looking at the way he held so much wonder for his family. Her smile faltered slightly. _The family that he never got to know_.

“She was a badass, like Dean said. Whooped his ass, knew what she was doing. She was a bonafide hunter.” She paused for a second, before a twisted grin pulled across her face.

“Your dad was pretty hot too.” Both men groaned, Dean pulling a disgusted face, while Sam yanked his head back, looking at Keila like she had grown two heads. She couldn’t help but laugh at the boy’s reaction.

“What? You wanted to know what I thought of them, that’s what I thought!” Sam glared at Keila as she continued to laugh, Dean grumbling something underneath his breath as he made a turn into town.

“What about my grandparents?” Keila locked eyes with Sam again, taking a deep breath before speaking.

“Your grandfather scared the shit out of me. It was like he could see into my soul. Your grandma was a sweetheart though, a real angel.” Sam smiled, his eyes gathering a faraway look. Dean, cleared his throat slightly as they pulled up in front of a typical looking suburban house.

“This the place?” Sam placed his arms over the back of the front seat, looking through the windshield at this house. Dean grunted in conformation, before he leaned across the seat, and tapped the lever on the glovebox. It popped open, falling, and bouncing off against Keila’s knees, before Dean’s large hand was inside of it, rummaging for something. He let out a quiet ‘ _aha!_ ’ before he pulled out a set of binoculars and shut the glovebox.

Keila leaned back looking at Sam, who was practically in the front seat now, before she let out a sigh.

“Switch with me.” Sam looked down at Keila in confusion as she undid her seatbelt and turned towards the backseat, knees planted in the passenger seat.

“What?” Keila rolled her eyes and slid her torso over the top of the passenger seat, until her upper body was hanging into the back, while her lower body dangled in the front.

“Switch. With. Me.” She huffed out, as he body tipped forward, tumbling her into the back seat, feet kicking against the top of the car.

“Hey! Watch the interior!” She huffed out a few choice words as she scrambled into the seated position, before she pushed on Sam’s butt a little.

“Up and over, Sasquatch, there’s definitely not enough room back here for the both of us.”  Sam let out a gently laugh before he rolled into the front seat, tucking his long legs in so he wouldn’t kick his older brother. Dean grumbled as Sam pulled himself into the seated position, hair in his face.

“You two are morons.” Keila just snorted as she pulled herself up and positioned her head between the two, while Sam adjusted himself in the passenger seat. They watch as a man comes from downstairs, walking into the kitchen, a rummaging through the fridge.

“Are you sure that’s him?” Dean eyes the binoculars pressed to his eyes, while Sam has his laptop sitting in his lap, scrolling through pages on the internet.

“Only Jack Montgomery in town.” Dean nods his head slowly, never pulling his eyes away from the binoculars.

“And we're looking for...” Dean trails off, and Sam picks up where he left off.

“Travis said to keep an eye out for anything weird.” They all sit in silence for a moment, before Dean speaks up again.

“Weird?”

“Yeah.” Dean lets out a huff and continues to watch the man. They sit in silence before about five minutes, before he begins talking again.

“Alright, well, yeah, I've seen big weird, little weird, weird with crazy on top. But this guy? I mean, come on, this guy's boring.” Sam lets out an exasperated sigh, before popping open the glovebox and producing another pair of binoculars. He closes it again, and brings them to his eyes.

“I don't know, Dean. Travis seemed pretty sure.” The three of them sit there in silence, the two brothers looking through their binoculars, while Keila watched on in silence. Though she didn’t have any binoculars, she could clearly see what was going on inside the house, demonic powers, and whatnot.

What unfolds in front of them, they can hardly believe. The man pulls out leftover chicken, scarfing it down, not bothering to use a plate or fork. He eats the food as if he hasn’t had a meal in days. Once he’s done with that, he eyes a pack of raw meat, before tearing it open and shoveling it into his mouth, glancing behind his shoulder every so often.

The boys pull away from their binoculars, disgusted looks plastered across their face as they glance at each other. Sam looks back towards the house, before speaking.

“I'd say that qualifies as weird.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...not dead.
> 
> A special thanks to violentlands, llindsayrose, AlexCarterNotSam, pmartinpie, and guests for the comments and kudos! I haven't abandoned this story guys, I promise! Life doesn't chill, even when you want it too. What keeps me going is the love and support I see from y'all on this story. Thank you all so much.

The case was a…difficult one, to say the least. Keila was wary of Travis the minute that they walked into the motel room and his eyes locked onto hers. She could see the pain in his eyes, the darkness that swirled around in them from all of the horrors he had seen from his time hunting. That’s not the part that bothered her the most. What bothered her was how he talked about the creatures that he dealt with.

Now, she understood where this hatred came from, the terror and agony that these monsters brought onto other was horrendous in itself. But, she couldn’t help but feel the small tug in her stomach when she found out their suspect was _born_ with the gene. It was thrust upon him without his warrant, _much like hers had been_ , and it was hard. It was hard on her, and it was hard on Sam.

She could see the way he struggled with this case, watched the battle within his head, with Travis, _with his brother_. He was trying to prove to them _that sometimes they had a choice._ They could choose whether they fell into the temptation, or whether they could fight it. And, he had wanted Jack, the human man who was rapidly turning into a rugaru, to have that choice.

It bit them all in the ass in the end, actually tore Travis to pieces, which was hard to walk up on. And, despite everything that same had been hoping for, it all fell to the wayside when he lit Travis on fire in his own living room, Dean crumpled against the coffee table, and Keila bound and gagged on the couch.

After the case was said and done with, the drive out of the town was filled with a tense silence. Throughout the entire case, Keila could feel the tension between the two brothers, and she knew it was about to hit its crescendo. Which, made her wish that she could meld into the backseat of the Impala until the whole ordeal was over with. She felt bad for basically third-wheeling the brother’s issues, and she was so happy that her iPod was fully charged.

As the trees flew past her window, Keila couldn’t shake the tension that was in her body. Watching Jack succumb to his monstrous genetics put a bit of fear in her. She knew the struggles that the man faced, more so than Sam did, because her demonic blood was kinked inside her DNA. She could often feel the tug of powerful energy pulling at her, making her skin tingle as if she were about to be struck by lightning. And, sometimes her mind ran into some of the deepest, blackest pits, reminding her of the monster she truly was.

Frowning to herself, Keila let out a small huff.

_She would never be given the chance for redemption._

“You did the right thing, you know. That guy was a monster, there was no going back.” Keila glanced towards the front of the car, watching Dean give out a muffled response as Sam lowered his head. She discreetly lowered the volume that was blaring from her earbuds and looked out the window again.

She didn’t want to be a part of it, but then again, _how could she not?_

She was nosy.

“Sam, I wanna tell you I'm sorry. I've been kind of hard on you lately.” Sam lifts his head slightly, forlorn eyes watching the scenery pass. Keila caught a glimpse of his face and felt her heart tighten a little.

_He looks so broken._

“Don't worry about it, Dean.” Dean glances towards his brother momentarily, not fully catching the pain that was etched across his face.

“It's just that your, uh, your psychic thing, it scares the crap out of me.” Keila held back the snort that almost escaped through her nose. She forgot out how shit Dean was about explaining how he felt.

“Look, if it's all the same... I'd really rather not talk about it.” A small smile creeps onto Dean’s lips as he raises and eyebrow towards Sam. Sam continues to stare blankly at Dean before he speaks.

“Wait a minute. What? You don't want to talk? You?” Sam doesn’t respond to Dean’s little joke, doesn’t take the bait and leaves Dean hanging in the tense atmosphere.

“There's nothing more to say. I can't keep explaining myself to you. I can't make you understand.”

“Why don't you try?” Sam scrunches up his face in annoyance, letting out a ragged breath.

“I can't. Because this thing, this blood, it's not in you the way it's in me. It's just something I got to deal with.”

“Not alone.” Keila gave a discreet head nod, one that the younger Winchester picked up through the rearview mirror. He squinted his eyes at the woman in the back seat, but it seemed that she was just listening to her music. Her returned his attention back towards his brother.

“Anyway, it doesn't matter. These powers... it's playing with fire. I'm done with them.” Dean glances over at Sam, then towards the back seat momentarily, then back towards the road.

“I'm done with everything.” Keila feels her body tense at the harshness in Sam’s voice. She forces herself to continue to stare out the window, but catches a glimpse of Sam’s reflection.

_Oh God._

“Really?” Dean lets out a deep breath that he was holding in, his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. He casts a small smile towards his brother.

“Well, that's a relief. Thank you.” Sam scoffs, turning his body towards his brother and staring at him with cold eyes.

“Don't thank me. I'm not doing it for you. Or for the angels or for anybody. This is my choice.” Dean appears taken aback by Sam’s outburst, but doesn’t say anything, just nods his head slowly.

It was another tense 45 minutes in the Impala, before Dean pulls off the highway and into a gas station. The brothers step out of the car, both stretching out their long legs. Dean heads towards the store to pay for the gas, while Sam stays at the Impala, waiting for the credit to be applied to the machine.

Keila pushes open the back door and lays down in the seat, stretching her body against the cool leather, her feet sticking out of the car. She holds the stretch a little longer than necessary, and odd noise escaping her mouth as she finally relaxes. She places her feet on the oiled concrete outside the car, her elbows perched on her knees.

“How much of that were you listenin’ in on?” She tensed for a minute, looking up bashfully as Sam’s hazel eyes bore into her golden ones. She feigned a look of innocent and slight shock before she pushed herself out of the car.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.” She made leaned against the black sports car, arms crossed at her chest as she stared at the younger Winchester. A small smile tugged at the edge of his lips.

“Bullshit.” Keila gasped and gently slapped Sam against the chest, his body reverberating with a chuckle at her action. She smiled at him sweetly, before responding.

“Do you know how hard it is to stay out of y’alls moments? I feel like I’m watching a Lifetime movie from the back seat.” Sam smiles at her, before it slowly falls down into a frown. He huffs slightly, pushing his long hair out of his face before locking eyes with Keila’s again.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to feel like you have to choose sides.” Keila smiles warmly at Sam again, placing her hand against his cheek gently.

“You don’t have to worry about that, Sambo. I really don’t like either one of you that much anyway.” Sam can’t stop the laugh that bubbles up in his throat, slightly leaning into Keila’s open palm. She pats his cheek, once, twice, before she drops her hand down and crosses it back over her body. She stares at Sam for a moment, watching the temporary happiness that was in his eyes swirl and fade away, a somber look taking over.

“Sambo, I don’t think you’re a monster.” Sam looks up at Keila, eyes slightly wide. She smiles at him again, this one soft and tender, before she brushes past him, squeezing his massive shoulder as she does.

“How can you not? Knowing the things I’ve done?” He swivels towards her, eyes wide and searching. Keila turns her head towards him, her long chocolate hair falling in waves over her shoulder. Her eyes glimmer with a hint of sadness as she speaks.

“Because, I know monsters, Sambo, and you’re not one of them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...NOT DEAD.
> 
> A special thanks to Jess, sossm, and guests for the comments and kudos. Thank you all so much for not only supporting this story, but also supporting me and my crazed self. I greatly appreciate all of you, and haven't forgotten or abandoned this story.

 

* * *

 The next few weeks seemed to fly by for the rag tag hunting trio. The cases came and went, some went smoothly, while others were just a pain in the ass. They all seemed to work past the awkwardness that hung between them, until it was almost like normal again. The Winchester brothers bickered about everything, while Keila did her best to play referee.

She wasn't very good at it.

She shook her head slightly, focusing on her heels clicking down the long hallway. The boys had begun trusting her a little more when it came to interviewing witnesses and before she knew it, she was in a fed suit. That shopping trip had been the biggest pain in the ass. Keila was one who dressed for comfort, and pants suits were  _not_  comfortable. The black pants hugged her hips a little too tightly, and the maroon button up shirt that she wore was tight across her chest, and the matching black jacket constricted her shoulders.

And, don't even get her  _started_  on the small heels that she had to wear. She learned quickly how to walk in them, but keeping up with the long-legged brothers  _hurt._

"Come on,  _Honey_ , you're falling behind." Dean tossed a sideways grin at her over his shoulder, one that instantly left her glaring at his back. She tucked a small piece of hair that had fallen out of the neat bun at the back of her neck back into place, as she picked her pace up slightly.

"Same somethin' else and I'll shove my foot so far up your ass…" Dean's smirk broadened as Sam coughed out a chuckle into his hand. The three of them were following a coroner down into the depths of the morgue. The coroner seemed completely unaware of the conversation behind them, and continued at his brisk pace. Before long, they were all gathered around a body on the cold steel table, zipped up and awaiting them.

"Agent Tyler, Agent Perry, Nicks, meet Frank O'Brien." All three hunters peered at the body as the coroner unzipped the bag that he laid in.

"He died of a heart attack, right?" Sam questioned, peering over Keila's shoulder. The coroner nodded his head.

"Three days ago."

"But O'Brien was 44 years old and, according to this a marathon runner." The coroner shrugged his shoulders, stepping away from the body.

"Everybody drops dead sooner or later. It's why I got job security." Keila glared at the man standing to the side of her. She knew that working in the profession that dealt with death numbed a person, but this man was just being a bastard.

"Yeah, but Frank kicked it here. Now, just yesterday, two perfectly healthy men bit it in Maumee. All heart attacks, you don't think that's strange?" The coroner let out an exasperated sigh, turning to face the three of them, arms crossed across his chest.

"Sounds like Maumee's problem to me. Why's the FBI give a damn, anyway?" Dean straightened his shoulders, squaring off with the coroner, staring him down.

"We just want to see the results of Frank's autopsy." The coroner quirked his eyebrow, glancing between the three of them with a confused look on his face.

"What autopsy?" Dean grinned down at the man, before nodding his head towards the body.

"The one you're gonna do." The coroner let out another sigh, hanging his head slightly, before walking away and grumbling under his breath. He returned with a scalpel in his hand and a shield covering his face. A quiet  _'ahem'_  broke through the silence, before he situated himself in front of the body, placing the scalpel into Frank's chest and slicing down.

"First dead body?" He glances towards Keila, a small smirk on his face. She continues to glare at him, arms crossed over her chest as she cocks her hip slightly.

"Far from it, sweetheart." The coroner nods, swallowing, before he turns back to the body.

"Oh, good. Because these suckers can get pretty ripe. Hey, hand me those rib cutters, would you?" Keila hears Sam take a deep breath, while Dean picks up the cutters and hands them to the coroner. Coroner begins to cut open Frank O'Brien, and Keila can see Sam squirming, eyes dancing around the room has the gross cracks echo throughout. Keila drops her hands, her fingers gently brushing against the inside of Sam's wrist, rubbing small circles. Sam lets out a shaky breath, his hands unclenching at Keila's soothing touch.

"Is that from a wedding ring? I didn't think Frank was married." The coroner shrugs, as he continues to work on cracking the dead man's chest open."

"Ain't my department." Keila scoffs to herself, eyes glancing over the open body before her. Sam moves around her slightly, his chest pressed up against her back slightly as he reaches over her.

"Any idea how he got these?" The coroner let out an aggravated sigh, casting a sideways glance towards the towering hunter.

"You know what? When you drop dead, you actually tend to drop. Body probably got scraped up when it hit the ground." The coroner paused for a moment, pulling his eyebrows together before letting out a confused ' _huh_ '?

"What?" Sam leans into Keila a little bit more. Dean watches the two interact, eyes clouding over slightly.

"I-I can't find any blockages in any of the major arteries." The corner shoves his hand into the thoracic cavity of the man, and begins to break the arteries. Dean places the back of his hand to his mouth, turning slightly as he takes a big gulp. Keila continues to watch the coroner, eyes wide with fascination and completely oblivious to the two brothers who are struggling to keep it together.

"Heart looks pretty damn healthy." The coroner plops the bloody organ into Dean's hand, which go wide with horror. "Hold that a second, would you?" Sam smirks at his older brother, watching as he uncomfortably juggles the organ about.

Suddenly, a loud squelching is heard, before a silent gasp. Keila ducks down low, but Sam isn't fast enough, a viscous liquid smearing across his face.

"Oh, sorry. Spleen juice." Dean smirks at Sam, before he glances down at his hands again and grimaces. Keila slowly rises from her squatted position, glancing between the two brothers, a small smile on her lips.

It was about an hour later when the three of them were seated at the Deputy's desk. Keila had her legs crossed at her knees, hands folded gracefully in her lap. Sam and Dean were both manspreading like hell, which didn't give Keila much leg room in between them. All three of them looked towards the door when they heard it begin to creak open.

"Hell's bells, Linus, have you seen my... Who are they?" The three of them stood up abruptly.

"Federal agents. I, uh..." The sheriff raised his hand, silencing the deputy.

"And you kept them waiting?" Deputy Linus shrugged his shoulders sheepishly, glancing down at the ground momentarily.

"You, you said not to disturb." The sheriff rolled his eyes and waved his hand towards the three of them.

"Come on back, folks." As the three of them approach the sheriff's office, he stops them, pointing to the edge of the doorway.

"Shoe's off." Keila let out a small sigh of relief as she kicked her shoes off, wiggling her toes in the process.

The three followed the sheriff back into office, where there were only two chairs available on the other side of the sheriff's. Keila glanced back at the brothers, Dean nodding his head towards the chairs. Sam sat down first, Keila followed behind him, while Dean placed his large hands on the back of Keila's chair, his warm body hovering over slightly as he bent down slightly.

"Al Britton. Good to meet you." He extends his hands out to them, shaking each of their hands momentarily before he sits down behind his desk. He pulls out a bottle of hand sanitizer and slathers is all over his hands, before leaning back in his chair slightly.

"Okay. So, what can I do for Uncle Sam?" Sam clears his throat, leaning forward slightly.

"Well, we're looking into the death of Frank O'Brien. We understand some of your men found his body." The sheriff nods his head solemnly, staring at Sam directly.

"They did. Me and Frank, we were friends. Hell, we were gamecocks." Dean snorted behind Keila, which not only caused her, but the sheriff as well to give Dean a slight glare. He looked down at Keila, smiling sheepishly, before gently squeezing her shoulder as she turned around back in her chair. A small smile crossed Sam's lips.

"That's our softball team's name." Dean nodded silently. "They're majestic animals. I knew Frank since high school. To be honest, I just this morning got up the strength to go see him. Frank was...He was a good man." Keila leaned forward slightly, her eyes glistening with sympathy.

"Yeah, big heart." She whipped around, shooting daggers at Dean, before she turned back around, eyes focusing back on the sheriff.

"Before he died, did you notice Frank acting strange? Maybe scared of something?" The sheriff nodded his head, eyes dancing from Sam to Keila.

"Oh hell, yeah. Real jumpy."

"D'ya know what scared him?" Keila's soft southern lilt drifted through the office, instantly putting the officer at ease. He smiled at her slightly, before it dropped off his face.

"No. Wouldn't answer his phone. Finally, I sent some of my boys over to check on him, and well, you know the rest." The sheriff pumped more hand sanitizer into his hands, slathering it around, making obnoxious squelching noises. Dean cast a weird glance towards Sam as the sheriff seemed oblivious to them as he continued to rub the sanitizer in.

"So, why the Feds give a crap? You don't really think there's a case here?" Dean glances towards Sam, then down at Keila, gently wrapping both of his hands around her shoulders.

"No, no. It's probably nothing. Just a heart attack."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	39. Ch. 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that the wedding and honeymoon are over and done with, updates shouldn't be as sporadic. Thank you to everyone whose stuck with this story! And, a special thanks to AlexCarterNotSam, epikourean, sierra_lima, and guests for the comments and kudos!

Keila shielded her eyes as they exit the police station, the sun bright in the afternoon sky. Sam and Dean move from behind her, until they’re all walking side by side, before Dean speaks.

“No way that was a heart attack.” Sam and Keila nod their heads in agreement, making their way quickly down the steps and making a left turn towards the Impala.

“Definitely no way. Three victims, all with those same red scratches. All went from jittery to terrified to dead within 48 hours.” Dean nodded his head slowly, brows pulling together before he looked towards his younger brother.

“Something scared them to death?” Sam gave a minuet head nod, hand shoved deep in his pants pockets.

“All right, so what can do that?” The eldest Winchester let out a loud scoff, before rolling his eyes.

“What can't? Ghosts, vampires, Chupacabra? It could be a hundred things.” Keila nodded her head, mumbling under her breath slightly.

“Yeah, spiders, heights, freakin’ whales.” Dean stopped momentarily, looking down at Keila perplexed.

“Did you just say whales?” Keila kept her eyes focused on front of her, but she could feel her cheeks heating up slightly. A massive smile stretched across Dean’s face as he planted his body in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.

“Time out. You’re scared of _whales_?” Keila crossed her arms over her chest, attempting to side step Dean, her ankle rolling slightly and causing her to stumble into Sam.

“’m sorry. And, why does it matter?” Sam placed his arm on Keila’s shoulder, helping her regain her balance, before shooting Dean a look.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s perfectly fine to be scared of whales.” Dean blew a raspberry out of his mouth as he pointed his finger at Sam.

“Says the dude whose afraid of _clowns_. Nu-uh, I gotta know, why’re you so scared of whales? Have a freak accident with one?” Dean chuckled to himself as Keila bumped past him, walking down the sidewalk with purpose. Dean let his eyes wander on her for a moment, before he jogged to catch back up with her. Keila gave Dean a sideways glare, before she stopped, pinching the bridge of her nose, and closing her eyes.

“Alright! Fine, fine. They just…they just freak me out, alright? Like, they’re the biggest creatures on this planet and can basically eat anything they want. Yet, people aren’t even remotely worried about getting eaten by them. _It’s fucked up_.” Sam raised his eyebrows at Keila.

“Keila, whales don’t eat people.”

“I’ve heard plenty of stories about whales swallowing people whole and I’m not down with the idea one bit.” Dean couldn’t stop the cackle that broke from his chest, kneeling over to clutch his stomach. Keila just glared down at the hunter, before walking around him.

“Keila, I don’t feel like the Bible is a very good representation on what’s fact and what’s fiction.”

“Really, you could’ve fooled me, what with the angels and Satan and whatever.” That caused the two hunters to shut up, both glancing at each other warily, before falling back into line with Keila.

“Okay, so we make a list and start crossing things off.” Dean still had a goofy smile on his face as he glanced down towards Keila.

“I’ll make sure we have a harpoon with us.” She rolled her eyes and lazily slugged Dean in the shoulder, cause him to break out in laughter again. Dean slung his arm around Keila, pulling her closer to his body. Sam gave a small smirk towards Keila as her face turned a bright red.

“Alright, who's the last person to see Frank O'Brien alive?” Sam closed his eyes momentarily, before they snapped open again.

“Uh, his neighbor, Mark Hutchins.” Suddenly, Keila feels Dean start to slow down, his eyes squinting slightly.

“Hang on, hang on.” Dean stops walking, his arm falling from around Keila’s shoulders. He turns to face the other two, his eyes still narrowed in suspicion.

“I don't like the looks of those teenagers down there.” Keila turns to see a group of harmless teenage boys talking beside the Impala. She cocks her head to the side slightly, then looks back at Dean.

“Let's walk this way.” Dean crosses the street, leaving a perplexed Sam and Keila standing there, watching him.

Later that day, the three of them are standing inside Mark Hutchins house, the man in question eyeing them.

“Tyler and Perry. Just like Aerosmith.” He looks towards Keila, who was seated snugly between Dean and Sam.

“And, Nicks. Are you a witchy woman too?” Keila gives the man a tight-lipped smile, before turning her attention to Dean, who staring at a massive lizard inside a tank.

“Yeah, small world. So, the last time you saw Frank O'Brien?” Mark runs his large hands over the snake that hangs around his neck, before sighing,

“Monday, he was watching me from his window. I waved at him, but he just closed the curtains.” Sam’s eyebrows shot up, before nodding his head slowly. Keila nodded along as well, before speaking.

“Hmm. did you speak to him recently? Did he seem different? Uh, scared?” Mark nodded his head, glancing over to her.

“Oh, totally. He was freaking out.” Sam eyes his brother, who is cautiously watching the aquarium towards his right, eyes wide.

“Do you know, uh..do you know what scared him?” Mark shrugged his shoulders, before eyeing Keila, a small smirk on his face.

“Well, yeah, witches.” All three hunters looked blankly at one another.

“Witches? Like...?” Mark nodded his head again, his smile growing slightly.

“Well, "Wizard of Oz" was on tv the other night, right? And he said that green bitch was totally out to get him.” Keila’s eyes brows shot up, glancing from Mark, to Sam, to Dean, who looked absolutely _terrified_.

“Anything else scare him?” Mark rolled his eyes slightly, letting his hand drift up to play with the snake.

“Everything else scared him. Al-Qaeda, ferrets, artificial sweetener. Those pez dispensers with their dead little eyes. Lots of stuff.” Keila eyed Dean, her brows furrowing slightly.

_Was he scared?_

 “So, tell me. What was Frank like?” Mark crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the ground.

“I mean, he's dead, you know? I-I don't want to hammer him but, he got better.” Sam cocked his head to the side.

“He got better?”

“Well, in high school he was, he was a dick.” Sam furrowed his brows together.

“A dick?” Mark let out an exasperated sigh, staring at Sam head on.

“Like a bully. I mean, he probably taped half the town's butt cheeks together- “Dean snickered aloud, earning a glare from everyone else in the room.

“Mine included.” Mark conceded, head hanging down slightly.

“So, he pissed a lot of people off. You think anyone would have wanted to get revenge?” Mark stopped playing with the snake for a moment, his hand falling slightly.

“Well, I don't...Frank had a heart attack, right?”

“Just answer the question, sir.” Mark nodded his head slowly, his hand rising back up to the snake.

“No, I don't think so. Like I said, he got better. And after what happened to his wife.”

Dean’s eyebrows shot up, his attention focused on Mark.

“His wife? So, he was married.” Mark nodded his head slowly.

“She died about 20 years ago. Frank was really broken up about it.” Mark stares at Dean for a long moment, before smiling at him.

“Don't be scared of Donny. He's a sweetheart. It's Marie you got to look out for.” He nods towards the couch that they’re sitting on. “She smells fear.” As if on cue, a massive albino constrictor slithers from behind the couch and around Dean’s shoulders, slowing making its way into his lap. A small gasp escapes Dean’s lips as the snake works its way across his broad chest, the snake’s head angling itself for Dean’s crotch. Keila eyed the snake for a moment, before turning towards Mark.

“Can I hold her?” An ear-splitting grin crossed Mark’s face as he stood up quickly from his seat.

“Of course! Of course!” He made his way around the back of the couch, huffing a little as he heaved Marie off Dean, who sat stock still the entire time, holding his breath. Mark gently placed the snake around Keila’s shoulders, and they sagged slightly with the weight of her.

“Oh! You’re a heavy girl, aren’t you?” Keila smiled down at the snake as it slowly wrapped its long body around her shoulders, its head swirling around her left wrist. Dean stared at her with wide eyes, mouth agape.

“You’re telling me you’re scared of whales, but not freakin’ _snakes?!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to NyaNyaDragon20XX, Supreme_Fangirl, and Katymomma for the bookmarks, and reviews. Y'all rock.

Well, this wasn’t good. This wasn’t good at all. Keila scrubbed her hand down her face, before looking over towards the Impala. She could see Dean waving his hand frantically to the drum beat of ‘ _Eye of the Tiger_ ’ that was blaring from the rolled down windows. She turned her attention back towards the youngest Winchester brother, his eyes screwed shut as he finished his phone call.

“Yeah…yeah, I know. I’ll tell him. Don’t worry, we’ll figure this out Bobby. Yeah…all right, bye.” Sam sighed dejectedly as he looked down at the phone in his hand, before he pocketed it. He turned towards Keila, hazel eyes tired, the donut box in his hand sagging slightly.  She took a step towards him, gently placing her hand on his forearm. Sam leaned into her touch slightly, before he ran a hand through his hair.

“This doesn’t look good, Keila.” Keila squeezed his forearm gently, tugging him towards her, reaching for the box in his hands. She gingerly took it from him, before giving him a slight hip check, smiling.

“To be honest, there’s not a lot of things that don’t look good on y’all.” Sam smiled down at her, a small chuckle breaking past his lips momentarily, before he sobered back up. He looked towards the Impala, that was rocking slightly. His shoulders sagged momentarily, before he slowly began to trudge over, Keila following behind him.

Sam watched his brother momentarily, a small smile pulling at the edges of his lips as he watched him bang at the invisible drums. A wave of fear washed over him, before he shook his head gently and banged on the roof of the car. Dean’s eyes flew wide open, his entire body jumping off the leather seats at the loud noise. He sat up quickly, body stiff as a board as his eyes locked onto his younger brother peering at him from outside the car.

“Dude, look at this.” Dean opens the door, sliding out of the front seat. He pulls his sleeve up slightly, showing three angry scratches on his forearm. Sam leaned forward, eyes squinting slightly as he examined the scratches. Keila extended her free hand, fingers tracing the scratches lightly. Dean hissed, pulling his arm towards his chest, and looking at her with wide eyes. She gave him a small smile, before handing him the box of donuts.

“I just talked to Bobby.” Dean quirked an eyebrow at his younger brother, before bringing the large box up to his nose, inhaling deeply. He eyed it for a moment, before he turned and chucked it into the car.

“And?” Sam glanced over at Keila, a worried looked etched over his face, before facing his brother again. He took in a deep breath, eyes locking onto Dean.

“Uhm, well, you’re not gonna like it.” Keila could hear Dean swallow, his tongue darting out across his lips as he stared at the both of them.

“What?” Sam bite his bottom lip, tugging it between his teeth. Keila watched as his hands clenched at his sides, gently pulling at the cuffs of his jacket. She frowned slightly, before stepping towards Dean. He eyed her warily, body stiffening slightly.

“It’s ghost sickness.” Her voice was soft, calm, and Dean relaxed slightly, his body turning minutely towards her. Sam gave a small smile at the interaction, before his eyes snapped up at his brother’s question.

“Ghost sickness?” Sam nodded his head solemnly

“Yeah.”

“God, no.” Again, Sam nodded his head again.

“Yeah.”

“I don’t even know what that is.” Keila’s hand twitched slightly, like she was going to grab onto Dean, before it dropped. Sam was the brother that enjoyed the physical contact, Dean, _not so much_. Especially in this state.

“Some cultures believe that certain spirits can infect the living with a disease, which is why they stopped displaying bodies in houses and started taking them off to funeral homes. To try and ward off the sickness.” Dean glanced at Keila as she spoke, his head cocking to side so that he could get a better look at her. Dean didn’t like her hiding in his peripherals, it gave him the heebie jeebies.

“Stand in front of me.” Keila almost didn’t hear his until he wrapped his hands around her biceps, dragging her to where he could see her full on. A small blush creeped across her cheeks, but the eldest Winchester was oblivious to it, the younger one was not.

“Okay, get to the good stuff…” Dean waited anxiously for the two hunters in front of him to talk, his eyes darting back and forth from one to the other. Sam cleared his throat.

“Symptoms are you get anxious...” Dean nodded his head, eyes still wide. Sam glanced over at Keila, leaning his forward slightly as a gesture for her to continue.

“Then scared, then really scared, then your heart gives out. Sound familiar?” Dean cocked his eyebrows at the two, arms crossing his chest in a defensive manner.

“Yeah, but we haven't seen a ghost in weeks.” The hairs on the back of Dean’s neck slowly rose as the words passed his lips. He rubbed the back of his neck harshly, trying to push the feeling away.

“Well, I doubt you caught it from a ghost. Look, once a spirit infects that first person, Ghost sickness can spread like any sickness through a cough, a handshake, whatever. It's like the flu. Now, Frank O'Brien was the first to die, which means he was probably the first infected. Patient zero.” Dean stared at Sam blankly for a moment, before he nodded his head slowly.

“Our very own outbreak monkey.” Keila quirked her eyebrow, mouthing a silent ‘ _what?’_ at Dean’s statement. She still couldn’t get used to some of Dean’s random analogies.

“Right. Get this, Frank was in Maumee over the weekend. Softball tournament. Which is where he must have infected the other two victims.” Dean slowly rolled his eyes, looking down momentarily, before they locked onto Keila.

“Were they gamecocks?” She shrugged slightly, her voice coming out calm and even.

“Cornjerkers.” She couldn’t stop the small smirk that formed as she watched Dean mouth the words ‘ _what the fuck?’_

“So, ghosts infected Frank. He passed it on to the other guys and I got it from his corpse?” Sam gave a sharp nod. Dean sucked in a breath.

“So now what, I have 48 hours before I go insane and my heart stops?” Keila winced slightly, amber orbs worrying over Dean.

“More like 24.” Dean’s shoulders visibly sagged, his body slouching back against the car.

“ _Super_.” Sam gave a small shrug, lips pulled into a thin line. Dean bounced his head against the roof of the car for a few seconds, before whipping his head up and staring at the other two accusingly.

“Well, why me? Why not you two? I mean, you got hit with the spleen juice. And, you were all up in the body!” Sam rolled his eyes, while Keila just shifted her weight from one foot to the other.

“Yeah, uhm, you see Bobby and I have a theory about that too. Turns out all three victims shared a certain, uh, personality type. Frank was a bully. The other two victims, one was a vice principal, the other was a bouncer.” Dean sat there for a moment, just staring at his brother, waiting for him to elaborate.

“Basically, they were all dicks.” Dean’s defenses shot up, shoulders squaring slightly as he glared at his little brother.

“So, you're saying I'm a dick?” Keila groaned, her head falling back slightly. She cocked her head to the side, watching Dean.

“No, Dean, that’s not what he means. All three victims used fear as a weapon, and now this disease is just returning the favor.” Dean scoffed, eyes rolling up towards the sky.

“I don't scare people.” Keila let out a loud snort, which caused both Winchesters to look towards her. Dean looked at her accusingly, while Sam was smiling slightly.

“Dean, all we do is scare people.”

“You sure as shit scared the hell outta me when I wandered up to that door.” Dean eyed Keila momentarily, before letting out a small huff.

“You caught me at a bad time, _Honey_.” She grinned at him, a small chuckle rumbling in her chest.

“Okay, well then, you're dicks too.” Sam shrugged his shoulder again, a small smile playing on his lips.

“Apparently not.”

“I’m a sweetheart compared to y’all, so I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” Dean rolled his eyes at the two, not finding this situation funny in the slightest.

“Whatever. How do we stop it?” Sam started to explain how they could cure Dean of his ghost sickness, but Keila’s eyes were focused on something else. She could feel a deep power pulling around them. The air around her appeared to sizzle, warping and twisting, dancing slowly around Dean Winchester. Her throat grew tight as she fought back the urge to use her powers. Though she enjoyed the brother’s company, it meant that her powers were being to get backlogged, and it was only a matter of time before it broke free from her body.

Keila swallowed the lump in her throat, glancing at the two brothers momentarily.

_She had to get away._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Bethany Washington, thavoy203, ScoutGirl66, and guests for the bookmarks and kudos. Thank y'all for sticking with this story. I appreciate it.

Things haven’t been getting any better for Dean Winchester. The ghost sickness was slowly wearing his body down, and Sam and Keila were doing everything in their power to figure out how to cure him, before time ran out. The younger Winchester brother was a forced to be reckoned with when it came to research, and Keila could barely keep with the behemoth at the library. She looked over books until her eyes crossed and shoulders hurt from slouching over them.

It appeared nothing that they were doing was helping their situation, and when they arrived back at the hotel, it clearly hadn’t been helping Dean out either. Sam and Keila didn’t miss the smashed clock when they returned, or the way Dean had his hand wrapped in a washcloth. And, they definitely didn’t miss Dean coughing up wood chips either. The ghost sickness was moving rapidly through him, and Sam cast worried glances at Keila whenever Dean had his backed turned to them.

Keila was worried too, but not just about the brothers. A pressure had been building inside of her for months now, ever since she started traveling with the brothers, and at first it was something small, like wearing a jacket that was a little too snug. But, now it was suffocating her, like she was laced into a straight jacket that was three sizes too small. She had never gone this long suppressing her powers, she never had to before. When she was on her own, she was able to let her demonic powers seep into almost everything she did. Whether it be skimping out on a speeding ticket or enjoying a five-finger discount from a fancy restaurant, Keila was able to freely use her ability to alter the mind and tamper with memories. But, with the Winchester’s, she had to be careful.

“Normal” people couldn’t feel the demonic energy fluctuate when she used them, they didn’t notice the change in her eye color, or feel the energy pull around her. And, they sure as hell weren’t strong enough to break through her mental illusions. But, the Winchester’s? She had no doubt in her mind that those two would feel the energy in a heartbeat, notice the slightest changes, and break through anything that she could throw at them.

Hell, they killed her _father_. That was a feat in its self. She had foolishly used her powers around them before, and although she was pretty sure that they hadn’t caught on too much, she could still tell that they were wary of her. She’d like to think that she had built up some type of repertoire with the hunters, but she wasn’t going to fool herself by any means. Getting close to the Winchesters was like getting close to a captive tiger. Yeah, there was the false sense that nothing could happen, that they were _docile and friendly_. But, there’s always that inkling that they could _snap_ and that’s all that was needed to keep Keila in check.

But, man did it suck.

She pulled in a ragged breath as they rolled up to the empty lumber mill. Keila slouched forward momentarily, eyes closed as her head rested against the back of the passenger seat, before she slowly maneuvered her body out of the car. Sam was already standing at the back, trunk popped open, rifling through their assortment of weapons and tools.

“I’m not going in there.” Sam glanced at his brother, who was staring apprehensively at the massive lumber mill in front of them. Keila saddled up beside them, peering over Dean’s shoulders. Dean startled at the puff of air that grazed the back of his neck and turned to glare at the woman behind him.

“Dean, we need back up. Besides, it’s probably safer to go as a group.” Dean let out an exasperated sigh, glancing back towards the building, before nodding once and pulling a small bottle of whiskey from his jacket pocket. Keila eyed him as he took a long swig, before smacking his lips and looking back towards his brother.

“Let’s do this. It is a little spooky, isn’t it?” Sam rolled his eyes as he continued to dig around in the trunk, until he pulled out a small handgun. He held it out towards Dean, whose eyes were wide. He shook his head fervently, emerald eyes eyeing the gun carefully.

“Oh, no. I’m not carrying that. It could go off.” His eyes roam the open trunk in front of Sam, before he digs his hand around in it, pulling out a flashlight. The whiskey goes back into Dean’s pocket, before he turns to Sam, both hand wrapped around the base of the flashlight, a derpy grin on his face.

“I’ll man the flashlight.” Sam’s face goes blank, staring at his brother with an emotionless expression. He lets out a long sigh, head dropping slightly, before he raises his arm and holds the gun out to his side. Keila steps up and gently pulls it from Sam’s grip, checking the clip, cocking it back, and facing the barrel towards the ground.

“You do that.” Sam starts off in front, broad shoulders dipping slightly with each long step as he makes his way towards the mill. Dean watches him momentarily, the smile sliding off his face, brows furrowed in worry. Keila comes up beside him, and gently nudges him with her shoulder. He glances over to her, a small smile flitting across his face, before he clears his throat and follows Sam. Keila lets out a quiet sigh, before she takes up the rear, finger resting on the side of the barrel as she follows behind the two hunters.

The three of them make their way through the massive building, eyes darting around. Sam pulls out an EMF reader, and it immediately starts going off. The hunters tense and begin looking around, but slowly relax when they realize something.

“EMF's not gonna work with me around, is it?” Sam sighs, glaring down at the device in his hand, before shoving it in his pocket.

“You don’t say. Come on.” Before he can make it out of the room, he stops, eyes focusing on something.

“Wait!” Dean jumps nearly a foot in the air, the flashlight beam dancing around the room, before it lands on Sam. Keila hides a small grin behind her hand, while Dean glares at her, motioning for her to drop her hand down.

“Don’t point that thing around all willy nilly! You could shoot one of us!” Keila smiles at Dean again, her hand slowly dropping to her side.

“If I wanted to shoot you Dean, I’dve done it already.” Sam clears his throat, catching both of their attentions, before nodding his head towards something.

“’To Frank. Love, Jessie.’ Frank O’Brien’s ring.” Dean picks up the ring, twisting it in his hand.

“What the hell is Frank doing here?” Sam and Keila both shrug their shoulders, before they file out into another room that’s full of lockers. Keila begins checking the lockers, opening them slowly, before a sound captures their attention. All three of them turn towards a locker, whose rusty hinges are gently vibrating. Keila can feel the hair on the back of her neck stand up as Sam slowly creeps towards the locker, gun raised. Keila levels her gun on the locker as well, Dean hovering behind her. Sam mouths of the words…

‘ _One…two…three…’_ before he yanks the locker open. A cat goes scattering across the room, a high-pitched scream soon follows, and suddenly a massive weight as attached itself to Keila’s back. She stumbles forward slightly, dropping her gun and bracing herself against to lockers beside her as the loud screeching echoes through her ears.

“JESUS CHRIST! WHAT THE FUCK?!” Keila whips her head around, only catching a glimpse of emerald before the weight drops off her back. She turns around, her honey eyes landing on one petrified Dean Winchester, his hands shaking and white knuckled around the flashlight he’s holding. She can hear muffled laughter behind her and looks over her shoulder to see Sam hunched over, one hand over his mouth, the other over his belly, laughing.

“This ain’t funny!”

“Damn right this ain’t funny, that scared the hell outta me!” Keila refocused her glare back on the hunter in front of her, letting out a huff as she bent down to pick up the gun she had dropped. As she reached for the gun, her eyes locked on to something.

“Hey, wait a minute…” She dropped to her knees, hand digging underneath the lockers, before she pulled out a white card with a picture on it.

“Luther Garland.” Dean moves around her, glancing out a drawing that’s on a table in the room.

“Hey, this is uhm…this is Frank’s wife.” There’s a tense silence in the room.

“Plot thickens.” Keila rolls her eyes as she slowly stands up, dusting the dirt off her knees. Suddenly, she feels it. There temperature in the air shifts, goosebumps dancing a long her arms. She sees a small puff of smoke appear in front of her as she breathes out. She then glances over at Dean, who’s staring wide eyed at Sam, the picture crumpled in his hands.

Suddenly, the machines in the room turn out, and Dean bolts, tearing out of the building like a bat out of hell. Keila calls out after him, but its too late, he’s already gone. Then her eyes focus in on what Dean was looking at, and her heart catches in her throat. Raising her gun, she drops her hand from the side of the barrel and pulls the trigger six times in rapid succession. Sam barely has time to react as he drops down, swiveling on his heel to see the apparition slowly dissipate. He turns back to Keila, staring wide eyed at her.

“A little warning next time would be nice!” A small smirk pulls across her features as she steps towards the hunter, extending her hand out to him.

“I’ll tell you the same thing that I told your brother. If I wanted to shoot you, I would’ve already.” Sam grins up at her, running his hand through his hair as they both make it back out of the building. HE places his hands over the tops of his eyes, squinting into the sun.

“Where’d he go?” Keila begins walking towards the Impala, before she hears gravel sliding. She cocks her head to the side, slowly rounding the car, before Sam hears her let out an exasperated sigh.

“Here.” Sam comes around and sees Dean peek his head out from around the bumper, before he whips back around and pulls a hearty sip from the bottle of whiskey. Sam pinches the bridge of his nose, eyes ground together.

“Guess we got the right place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Harmony and guests for the comments a kudos. Y'all keep this story alive, and for that I'm thankful.

Mr. Garland gave them a lot to think about as they left the old folk’s home. Keila tugged her tight-fitting suit jacket off from around her shoulders, rolling her white long sleeve dress shirt up to her elbows. She was almost tempted to kick off her kitten heels and just carry them in her hand, but the three of them where still in sight of a few people, and damn it all, she was supposed to be a Fed.

“Now we know what these are, road rash. And I'm guessing Luther swallowed some wood chips when he was being dragged down that road.” Dean lifted the cuff of his jacket slightly, showing the angry red marks that adorned his forearms. Keila eyed the sympathetically. She’s had wounds like that inflicted on her before. Except, people weren’t trying to kill her when it happened. _Her daddy was just trying to teach her a lesson._

“Makes sense. You're experiencing his death in slow motion.” Sam’s brows were pinched together as he tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. Dean rolled his shoulders, straightening his back up slightly.

“Yeah well, not slow enough, huh? Say we burn some bones and get me healthy.” Sam glanced towards his brother, worry etched across his face.

“Dean, it won't be that easy.” Dean scoffed, flapping his hand towards his little brother as they continued to walk towards the car.

“No, no, it'll be that easy. Why wouldn't it be that easy?” Sam let out an exasperated sigh, arms sweeping around him, gesturing to the long stretch of road they were walking on.

“Luther was road-hauled. His body was ripped to pieces. He was probably scattered all over that road. There's no way we're gonna find all the remains.” Dean stopped in his tracks, looking his little brother dead in the eye. His emerald eyes flickered over to Keila’s golden ones for a moment, before he let out a low hiss.

“You’re kidding me.” Keila stepped towards Dean, placing a gentle hand on his forearm.

“Look, we'll just have to figure something else out.” Dean looked at Keila’s hand on his arm for a moment, before he turned his gazed towards her. His eyes were wide, and his face was growing pale at a rapid pace. Suddenly, he wrenched his arm away from her, the suddenness making Keila jump slightly.

“You know what? Screw this.” Dean began pacing, unaware of the hurt that flickered across Keila’s face. Sam could see a slow wall being erected behind her eyes, and he cursed under his breath.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Dean.”

“Come on. No, I mean, come on, Sam. What are we doing?!” Dean looked towards his little brother, exasperated. Fear shone in his eyes, and Sam was honestly floored on what to do. He hadn’t seen Dean scared like this in a long time. Not since he was dragged down to Hell.

“We're hunting a ghost.” Dean threw his hands up in the air.

“A ghost, exactly! Who does that?” Sam looked at him for a moment, before replying.

“Us.” Dean let out a humorless laugh.

“Us? Right. And that Sam, that is exactly why our lives suck. I mean, come on, we hunt monsters! What the hell?! I mean, normal people, they see a monster, and they run. But not us, no, no, no, we—” He gestured to himself, towards his brother, eyes flitting over Keila as he continued with his tirade,

“- we search out things that want to kill us. Yeah? Huh? Or eat us! You know who does that? Crazy people! We...are insane! You know, and then there's the bad diner food and then the skeevy motel rooms and then the truck-stop waitress with the bizarre rash. I mean, who wants this life, Sam? Huh? Seriously?” Dean paces back and forth, grabbing at the short strand of his hair, eyes looking wild.

“Do you actually like being stuck in a car with me eight hours a day, every single day? I don't think so! I mean, I drive too fast. And I listen to the same five albums over and over and over again, a-and I sing along. I'm annoying, I know that.” He glances towards Keila, eyes scanning all over her, before he speaks again.

“An-and, you! Look at what we drug you into?! No normal human being would willingly just jump in the car with strangers and just start chasing monsters around! I mean, look at what we’ve done to you! We drag you around from town to town, putting you in all these fucked up situations, _and we don’t even know you!_ ” Keila flinched at Dean’s words, a rush of emotions coursing through her, though on the outside, she stared at the raving hunter blankly.

 “And you --you're gassy! You eat half a burrito, and you get toxic! I mean, you know what?” He digs around in his pocket, pulling out a set of keys a chucking the squarely at Sam’s chest. They bounce off him, and land soundly into his large, open hands.

 “You can forget it.” Dean begin to stalk down the road, hands shoved deep in his pocket, head swiveling from side to side.

“Whoa, Dean. where are you going?” Dean whips around, fingering pointing towards Sam, eyes dancing between him and Keila.

“Stay away from me, okay? Cause I am done with it. I'm done with the monsters and -- and -- and the hellhounds and the ghost sickness and the damn apocalypse. I'm out. I'm done. Quit.” He begins stalking back down the road, slowly picking up pace before he’s all but gone from their line of vision.

Sam lets out a long exhale, glancing down at the keys in his hand. He stares at them for a moment, before he sucks air in between his teeth, and sets his jaw, clenching keys. His eyes glance over to Keila, whose standing there with a blank look on her face, her dark suit jacket tucked over her arm, which was pressed tightly towards her stomach. Her dark hair was slowly starting to come out of her slicked back bun, and her eyes were glossed over with some kind of emotion.

“Hey, hey. You okay?” Sam takes a step towards her, hazel eyes filled with concern as he takes her in. Keila gives him a rueful smile, before she drags her hand up to the band that’s holding her hair, giving it a solid tug, before chocolate waves tumble around her, framing her face.

“He’s not wrong, you know.” She glances at Sam, whose slowly moved his way over to her, his body towering over hers. He places a gentle hand on her shoulder and squeezes slightly.

“That’s just the ghost sickness in him talking, he doesn’t know what he’s saying.” Keila lets out a humorless laugh, glancing towards the young hunter.

“Fear is one helluva truth serum, Sambo. Everything that Dean said was true. No normal _human being_ would ever drag themselves into something like this.” Keila scowled at Dean’s own words as they left her lips.

 _They hurt_.

Whether Dean meant to or not, it cut Keila deep when he was shouting at her. She was used to verbal abuse; the majority of her younger life was nothing but bitter words and spit in her face. But, she couldn’t help but replay that one phrase over and over again.

She wasn’t a normal human being. Hell, _she wasn’t even human._ She was some sick, manipulative monster, just like the ones that she was hunting.

_How stupid was she?_

She was no better than these things that the Winchesters burned and gagged on a weekly basis. It wouldn’t be long until she ended up on the receiving end of their sawed off shot gun. Dean was right.

 _She was no normal human being_.

Keila was pulled out of her reverie when she felt pressure on the top of her head. She tried to look up, but then realized the side of her cheek was pressed along Sam’s silk tie. Her arms dropped, slowly inching their way around the man’s waist, until she was hugging him back.

“KeKe, none of us are normal. _Especially Dean_. Don’t let what he said get to you. You know we’re happy that you’re with us.” Keila sniffled quietly, squeezing Sam a little bit tighter, before she mumbled back into his shirt.

“He’s not wrong, though. You are gassy.” She let out a laugh when she felt Sam swat at her shoulder, pulling herself away from the giant and smiling up at him. He smiled down at her, dimples poking through.

“Ya know, you’re like the really annoying brother that I never wanted.” He swatted at her again, this time Keila ducking and skittering towards the Impala, chuckling again. Sam rolled his eyes as he opened the driver’s side door, sliding in. He closed his eyes for a minute, sucking in a chilly breath, before he focused on driving back to the hotel.

_Meanwhile…_

Dean was already flinging the hotel door open, breathing heavily and eyes wide. He probably sprinted for the last two miles, that dog chasing him the entire way. To a bystander, Dean was running full speed away from a yorkie with a bow in it’s hair, but to Dean? He was outrunning hellhounds all over again.

He slid his back against the dingy door, hand over his heart as he sucked in another breath. He opened his eyes and saw Keila standing there, staring at him with her large honey brown eyes.

“We looked everywhere for you, Dean. How the hell did you get here?” Dean sucked in another breath, before hoisting himself off the door and making his way towards her.

“Ran. What do we do now? I got less than four hours on the clock. I'm gonna die, _Honey_.”

“Yeah, you are.” Dean stared at Keila, quizzingly, a small smile pulling on her lips, “You’re going back.”

“Back?” Keila’s smile grew wider, her body moving tantalizingly slow towards Dean. Her tan hand wrapped around Dean’s ties, pulling him towards her, until her warm breath was fanning over his face.

“Downstairs Dean, hell. It's about damn time, too. Truth is…” In a single blink, Keila’s eyes turn a sickly yellow, and Dean gasps. He tries to pull away from her, but she holds him firm, pulling him even closer until their bodies are pressed together.  

“You've been a real pain in my ass.” Her lips brush his ever so gently as she speaks, eyes glowing. Dean tries with all his might to pull away from her, but he can’t. She chuckles down at him, curving her hand along the hollow of his neck.

“No! You get out of her, you evil son of a bitch!” Keila smiles at him, all wide and toothy, as she slowly wraps her hand around his neck. She begins to squeeze, first its gentle, tickling the sides of his neck, before he begins gasping for air. Keila extends her hand out, slowing forcing Dean down onto his knees as he stares up at her, eyes wide.

“No one's possessing me, Dean. This is what I'm going to become.  You’ve seen this before, haven’t you? Always been wary of little ole me.” She chuckles, dark hair lapping over her shoulders in waves. She bends down slightly, so she’s breathing into the shell of Dean’s ear.

“This is what I want to become. There's nothing you can do about it.” She presses her lips hard against Dean’s and he screams, struggling as he feels the air being sucked out of his lungs.

“Hey, hey, hey! Dean. Hey, Dean. Dean. DEAN!” Sam bursts through the door, Dean’s eyes unfocused on him. Behind him, Keila is watching on with horror, as Dean’s eyes roll into the back of his head.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Harmony, Bethany+Washington, JMWeezy, and guests for the comments, and kudos. Thank y'all so much.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea, Sambo.” Keila glances over her shoulder, watching the eldest hunter as he pulls his longs legs towards his chest, gnawing on his finger nails. He darts his emerald eyes over towards Sam and Keila, giving them a tight smile, before focusing back on TV.

“I’m worried about him, Keila. I don’t want anything to happen to him. Bobby’s on his way, we’ll figure somethin’ out.” Sam places a heavy hand on Keila’s shoulder and smiles down at her, though she doesn’t return it. A quiet sigh passes through her lips, before she gently shrugs it off.

“He doesn’t want me here, Sam. I don’t know what the hell he was seeing when we came in, but he was screaming bloody murder, and it was _my name_.” That’s what rattled Keila the most. Sam gave them both the rundown of what would happen with the ghost sickness, they were prepared for the hallucinations. But, what she wasn’t prepared for was walking in on Dean _screaming_ her name at the top of his lungs. Not her nickname, _her actual name_. Keila thinks that the first time she’s ever heard him say it.

“He was probably watching you get mutilated or somethin’. I dunno, but whatever it is, he’s fine. _He’s gonna be fine_.” Sam was more or less speaking to himself at this point, but it still didn’t stop Keila from rolling her eyes.

_Mutilated? Jesus, these boys really were insane._

“’aight. If you say so.” Keila mumbled under her breath, making her way back towards the couch and plopping down on the far end of it. Dean jumped slightly at the sudden dip, eyes dancing over her slouched form, before he cleared his throat.

“So, uhm, you got baby sittin’ duty?” Keila’s golden eyes slowly slid over to Dean, and he flinched when he locked eyes with her. For a moment, her eyes were a sickly yellow, before they flashed back to their natural honey brown. The corner of Keila’s mouth tugged down slightly, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Well, I wouldn’t consider you much of a _baby_ , but I’m here in case anythin’ else flares up.” Dean nodded his head slowly, glancing behind her at his little brother who was packing a bag by the door. Sam quickly counted are recounted everything, nodding to himself, before zipping up the duffle and slinging it over his shoulder.

“Alright, I’m pretty sure I’ve got everything I need. Bobby’s meetin’ me out by the lumber mill, and by the time I’m back, everything should be as right as rain.” He received a blank stare from the two who were sitting on the couch, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. He tilted his head towards the door, reaching out and fumbling for the handle.

“I promise I got this, Dean.” Dean locked eyes with his little brother, giving him a tight smile and a curt nod.

“I know you do, Sammy. Wouldn’t trust anyone else to do it.” Though he probably didn’t mean it, those words rattled Keila to her core. She took in a sharp breath, eyes boring into the TV, that looked to be playing an old Gumby re-run. She heard the door quietly shut and realized that her and Dean were alone.

 _The thought absolutely terrified her_.

She sat glued to her spot on the couch, eyes never leaving the ancient TV that played the old classic. She really didn’t understand the appeal to these old rinky dink motels, _there really wasn’t one_ , but every single one of them had ugly wallpapers and horrible TV signals.

“You know you don’t have to be here if you don’t wanna be.” Keila jumped at the deep voice on the other side of the couch, eyes wide as she stared at the eldest Winchester. His face was pale, the tips of his short hair sweaty and sticking slightly to his temples. His tongue darted out across his lower lips as he stared at Keila with wide eyes.

“Do you not want me here?” Her question hung in the air, her body angled towards the hunter. She could see the tension rolling through his body, watching his jugular pulse in his neck. Her heightened senses practically let her see the _waves of fear_ roll off him. The energy around Dean Winchester pulled and swirled, like a tightly knit spring that was ready pop.

He didn’t answer her, instead turning his attention back to the TV, watching Pokey, the red horse thing on Gumby, being lassoed and dragged away.

“Oh, this isn’t helping.” Dean stood abruptly from the couch, pacing in front of it, hands pulling at his short strands. He sucked a breath in between through his clenched teeth and avoided Keila completely. Keila tucked her knees into her chest, giving the hunter enough room to pace in front of her, without making physical contact. Her mind was racing, unforgiving thoughts swirling in her head. She wasn’t stupid.

_He didn’t answer the question._

Which, to her, meant that he answered loud and clear.

 _He didn’t want her there_.

She felt a cold wave wash through her body as her hands clenched. She pulled a slow, deep breath in through her nose, holding it for about six seconds, before she slowly exhaled, her eyes hardening as she looked up. She tracked Dean pacing the room, body tight and tense, steps short and jagged, as he mumbled quietly to himself, eyes flitting about. They danced across the room, but not once did they ever, _ever_ , land on her.

 _Yup, his answer was loud and clear_.

Keila felt the scowl pull across her lips and didn’t have the energy to try and cover it up. The once cold feeling of rejection that washed over her body, was slowly being replaced by burning anger. Anger at the hunter in front of her, the ghost that did this, _at herself._

She had gone soft, dropped her walls for these two hunters and allowed herself to believe that they cared about her, _kinda like she cared about them_.

But, she was wrong. She let her humanity get the best of her, believing that there had been some sort of real connection between them, something that solidified their friendship.

“ _Oh, sweetheart, you shoulda known better than that.”_ She could hear her father’s voice, throwing her back into a memory that she had buried deep in her mind.

_She was young, no older than 8 years old, crying in front of her father. Her chocolate hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, a large scrape across her cheek, eyes welled up with tears._

_“An-an-and then they pushed me, Father! They pushed me right out of that swing and started laughing at me! Callin’ me a freak and-and-and…” She broke off into another round of sobs. Her father’s dead eyes just stared down at her, no emotion, no comfort given whatsoever._

_“Oh, sweetheart, you shoulda known better than that.” She looked up at him, eyes wide and glistening. He crouched down in front of her, hands placed firmly on both her shoulders, and he squeezed, HARD._

_“I keep tellin’ you, time and time again, no one wants you. All these people out here in the world? They only wanna use you, and you keep openin’ yerself up and lettin’ them. You gotta quit that. It’s gonna get you killed.”_

Keila blinked away the tears that were forming in her lower lash line, eyes focusing back to the present. She looked up, only to see Dean staring at her, eyes soft. Her lips curved in a grimace, eyes ripping away from his when his phone started ringing.

Dean jumped slightly, before digging it out of his pocket and answering it.

“Hey.” Keila tuned out the conversation that he was having, standing up slowly and making her way over to her stuff that was shoved into the corner of the room. She grabbed her duffel and threw it on top of her unmade bed, and carefully began folding and placing her things back into her bag. Dean watched her while he was on the phone, brows pulled together, before he hung up.

“What’re you doing?” Keila barely glanced at Dean, stopping for only a moment, before continuing to pack.

“Packing.” A cold sweat broke across Dean’s forehead as he watched her.

“Why?” Dean’s eyes widened when he heard the vicious growls that emanated from behind their motel door, before it rattled slightly and was kicked in. Dean didn’t realize when it happened, but Keila was in front of him in a heartbeat, hand pressed firmly against his chest as she shielded him with her body.

“Sheriff?” Keila’s eyes the sheriff in confusion, until she eyes the gun that he’s holding.

“What’re you doing?” Her voice is dark, her subtle accent gone as she stands a little bit taller, almost looking down on the man in front of her.

“Why are you looking into Luther Garland's death?” Dean peeks around Keila to see blood oozing down the sheriff’s arm and onto his hand. He leans into Keila, hand circling around her bicep as he talks.

“Hey, hey, you're -- you're sick. You're sick. You're sick, all right? Just -- just like me, okay? You got to relax.” Keila stands there, momentarily stunned at the closeness, before she jerks her body away from Dean, glaring back at him. She focuses back on Sheriff Britton, eyeing his shaking hands and sweaty demeanor.

She didn’t have time to react as the Sheriff charges them, pistol whipping Keila with his gun, and punching Dean in the face. Keila stumbles slightly, blood starting to drip from the scrape across her cheek, and down onto her lips. She licks them gingerly as she pushes herself back up, eyes on the two men.

“Frank O'Brien was my friend. So, he made a mistake. So, I didn't bust him. So, what? And you're gonna bring me down over that?! No, sir.” He raises his gun at Dean, and before Dean can even react, Keila’s pounced on the officer, smacking the gun out of his hand, and throwing him to the ground. She’s got her legs wrapped around his waist as she wrestles with him, but is thrown off easily by the sheriff, who scrambles to his feet. Dean watches wide eyes as the sheriff tries to tackle him, Dean attempting to dodge out of the way, but gets his legs hooked in the process.

The sheriff manages to get one or two good punches in, before he’s hoisted off Dean and slung across the room. Dean watches with wide eyes as Keila places herself between him and the deranged officer.

“Are you outta your damn mind?!” Sheriff Britton’s eyes dart around the room, swatting at unseen things above his head, screeching at the top of his lungs.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!” Dean crawls onto his knees, slowly pushing himself up, hand out towards the sheriff.

“Al, you gotta calm down!” The Sheriff looks towards the two of them, eyes wide and hand clenched over his heart.

“Step back!” The sheriff trips over his own feet, falling down, clutching his heart, gasping for breath. He rolls onto his back, eyes and mouth open wide, as he slowly stops struggling, his clenched hand falling. Dean and Keila both watch with wide eyes, before Keila turns back to look at Dean.

“Are you okay?” Dean nods his head slowly, staggering up the wall, and putting a hand over his heart. He jumps slightly when Keila prods his eyebrow slightly.

“You’re bleedin’. I’m gonna get somethin’ to help clean that up.” She pulls away from Dean, eyeing him for a moment, before ducking into the bathroom. Dean sucks in a shaky breath, before he drops his head momentarily, blood dripping onto the floor.

“You’re going back. It’s about damn time too.” Dean looks up and sees Keila approaching him, eyes a sickly yellow and a massive grin splitting her lips.

“ _H-honey?”_ Keila’s grin grows even wider as she steps towards him.

“How does it feel, Dean? Knowing that you’re goin’ back down there? Are you _scared?_ ” Dean clenches his eyes shut, pushing himself past her. He slips straight through her, his eyes wide.

“Hi, Dean.” He squawks, and he turns and sees a little girl in a white dress, with blonde hair. Laying beside her on the floor, is the Bible.

“Huh? No-no!” The little girl walks towards him, a large toothy smile on her lips.

“Yes! It's me, Lilith.” She wraps her small arms around Dean’s waist, hugging him tight.

“Oh, I missed you so much. It's time to go back now.” Dean struggles to get out of the girl’s grip but feels another pair of arms wrap around his chest. He feels a weight on his shoulder, turning to see Keila’s yellow eyes beaming up at him.

“You’re-you’re not real! Neither of you are!” Keila gives him a sweet smile, pressing a tender kiss to his pulsing jugular.

“Are you sure, Dean? This seems pretty real.” She presses another one, this one turning into a sharp bite. Dean yelps at the sensation, eyes darting back towards Lilith.

“What's the matter, Dean? Don't you remember all the fun you had down there? You do remember. 4 months is like 40 years in hell. Like doggy years. And you remember every second.” Dean clutches his chest, heart beating heavily behind his hand. His vision begins to swim when he opens his eyes again.

“You are not real.” Lilith giggles at him as Keila’s hands slowly move their way up his chest, and lightly touch his neck. Dean feels a shiver run through him.

“It doesn't matter. You're still gonna die. You're still gonna burn.” Dean groans and leans his head back against Keila, the grip on his neck tightening ever so slightly. He can feel her breath on the shell of his ear. Opening his hazy green eyes, he stares into her bright yellow ones.

“Why me? Why'd I get infected?” Keila smiles down at him, her teeth suddenly sharp and oozing with a dark viscous liquid. She lets one hand slowly linger back down his chest, tapping in rhythm with his fast beating heart.

“You know why, Dean. Listen to your heart.” Her hand knocks on his chest, the sound filling his ears as she murmurs in time with it.

“Baboom, baboom, baboom, baboom…” Dean drops to the ground, a cold sweat stretching over his body, breath ragged. Keila rushes out of the bathroom at the loud thud, wet washcloth in hand.

“DEAN!” She runs over to him, stumbling to a halt and dropping to her knees, pulling Dean’s head onto her lap. She gingerly places the wet cloth onto his cut brow, rubbing off the blood, then using the clean side to dot along the sweat on his forehead. Her brows are creased as she stares down at him, eyes filled with worry. She can see his eyes dancing behind his lids, trapped in the last of his hallucination.

She stares at the body of the dead sheriff that lays in the middle of the room, and sucks in a deep breath. She doesn’t want too. _She really doesn’t want too_. But, she needs too. Building up her resolve, Keila closes her eyes.

When she opens them again, they’re a glowing yellow. She looks around the room, and sees the sickness in the air, swallowing the sheriff up entirely, but slowly waning from Dean. She sucks in a breath, then presses her pointer and middle finger together onto Dean’s forehead. It happens in a millisecond, but when she opens her eyes again, their back to their honey brown, and Dean’s pulling in a deep breath, green eyes cracking open.

“ _H-honey?”_ Keila smiles down at Dean, exhaustion creeping into her bones. She falls back onto her hands, Dean’s head still sitting in her lap, as he blinks slowly, before pushing himself up with a groan.

Keila watches him with a frown on her face, eyes dark and heavy.

 _He’s seen her. At the gas station, saw what she could do._ She sucks in a nervous breath as she watches the hunter, gripping his chest slightly. He mumbles something under his breath, looking back at her, before his eyes go wide.

“Shit, _Honey_ , you’re bleeding.” She stares at him shocked, as he crawls forward and cups her cheek gently, turning her head to the side to look at it. She can feel the blush creeping up her face as he inspects it, before he pushes himself up, stretching his arm down to help her up. Keila looks at his hand momentarily, before she grabs it, and he hauls her up.

“How’re you feelin’?” She gives him a wry smile, gently making her way past him and over towards the beaten down door.

“You’re the one that almost died, Dean. How’re you feelin’?” He stares at her for a minute, his minds replaying everything that recently happened, his injuries, his hallucinations. His brows scrunch together at that thought. He remembers his hallucinations, seeing Lilith in the body of a child, promising him to drag him back down to Hell. But, he feels like something’s missing. Like, there was another person there, but their voice was muffled, and their body hidden.

 _He remembers sickly yellow eyes_.

He looks back towards Keila, who’s examining the cut on her face with a frown, clothes rumpled and bloodied. He feels something niggling in the back of his head, but pushes it away, grinning at her.

“I’ve never felt better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to LittleWonderinWarrior, Blehlove, and guests for the comments. Thanks for supporting this story.

The autumn wind rustled Keila’s dark hair as she sat perched up against the Impala. Her eyes danced over the sleepy town, leaves falling and dancing around her. The sound of laughter echoed behind her, and she turned her body slightly, watching a group of kids play on the sidewalk, a small smile tugging at her lips. They ran past her, mumbling a hurried ‘ _scuse me’_ before their laughter echoed out again. It was sweet, carefree…

 _Something she never got to experience_.

A frown pulled at the corner of her lips, arms drawing tight across her chest. Dean had recovered nicely from his ghost sickness a couple of weeks ago, acting as if nothing had happened, but Keila knew better than that. She noticed the way that Dean’s eyes lingered on her, how they scrutinized her when he thought she wasn’t looking. At first, she just thought it was her paranoia getting the best of her, but as the weeks continued, it didn’t stop. She knew that somehow _Dean knew_ that she had did something. And, it terrified her.

Keila had tried to reel her powers in after she used them to wipe Dean’s hallucinations, but it was like opening a flood gate. Once she broke the dam, the surge of energy wouldn’t stop. She could feel it pulling under her skin right now, itching the palm of her hands, and causing a dull ache to start behind her eyes. She quickly shut them, bringing her hands to either side of her temples, and rubbed slowly. She could feel something off in this quaint town, and her demonic energy was reacting to it.

“You okay, Keila?” She flicked her eyes open, watching the two Winchesters walk towards her in their sharp suits. Sam’s hair was tucked behind his ears as he approached, a worried look on his face. Dean’s hands were shoved in his pocket momentarily, before he triumphantly pulled out the keys to the Impala, a small smirk on his face.

“Yeah, just got a headache, that’s all.” Keila pushed herself from the car, waiting for Dean to unlock the door, before she slid into the back seat and laid down. She raised her arm over her head, letting it lay across her forehead, her knees pulling up and her feet resting flat against the leather seats.

“ _Honey,_ I swear to God if you get any dirt on my seats…” Keila stuck her tongue out towards the eldest Winchester as he eyed her from the rearview mirror. He glowered at her, before turning the key, the classic muscle car purring.

“So, what’d the wife have to say?” Sam gave Keila the rundown on what had happened while Dean drove back to motel. Man was found dead with razorblades in his stomach, throat, basically everywhere. There was a hex bag found at the family household, so they had a least narrowed down what they were dealing with.

“Witches. I swear, man, these bitches had got to be some of the worse to deal with.” Dean grumbled to himself, pulling into the empty motel parking lot. The minute he stepped out of the car, he was already pulling his white button down out of his dress pants and loosening his tie, booking it to the room.

“What makes you say that?” Keila was a little bit slower getting out of the car, making sure to drag her palm across the seat and brushing any dirt off the backseat of the car. Sam smiled at her fondly.

“Cause, witches can be anybody. They don’t have the tale tell signs of a crooked nose, warts or anything. They’re just normal people with fucky powers.” Keila’s smile faltered a little bit as the eldest Winchester spoke from across the parking lot, before she gently shook her head and smiled towards him.

“Normal people are always the scariest.” Dean barked out a laugh as he slid his key card into his door, grasping the handle and shouldering it open.

“You’re telling me.” Keila watched as the hunter walked in, the door catching on the lock that Dean and flicked out, so that his younger brother could get in without the key. Keila’s body visibly sagged once the eldest hunter was out of her line of sight. Sam watched her for a moment, a thought dancing around in his head.

“So, you gonna tell me what’s goin’ on between the two of you?” Keila glanced over to the giant, his hands on his hips and one eyebrow cocked, she couldn’t help but smile at him, he looked adorable like that. Like, a little brother who was trying to solve the mystery for his big brother.

“You’re gonna have to ask him, Sambo. I have no idea what’s goin’ on.” Keila shrugged her shoulders, pulling out her own room key. Ever since the ghost sickness escapade, Keila demanded that she get her own room from now on. She was hoping that the distance between her and the Winchesters would alleviate some of the tension that was slowly building.

It wasn’t.

“Well, to me it looks like two people who like each other but are too stubborn to admit it.” Keila gawked at Sam, who just laughed at her. Keila threw her room key at Sam, which bounced harmlessly off his chest. Sam let out another chuckle as he bent down to pick it up, extending it towards Keila.

She glared at him, before gingerly taking the card from between his fingertips. Sam latched his massive hand around her wrist, pulling her towards him. She yelped in surprise as she was pressed firmly into his chest, her face squished comically.

“I just need to know what colors you’re going to have for the wedding. I look damn good in purple.” Keila struggled to pull herself away from Sam, but his grip was tight, and all he did was squeeze her tighter, her back popping.

“Sambo, I swear to God you are the most annoying child I’ve ever met.” Sam scoffed down at her, she had given up trying to pull away, so she just sat there limply in his arms, a look of pure torment on her face.

“I am _not_ a child.” Sam huffed out, poking his nose in the air slightly. Keila could feel his grip on her loosen a fraction, and she sprang into action. She ducked her head down and yanked away, her body slipping under his strong arms, hair flying everywhere. She re-emerged on the outside of Sam’s grip with a large smile, hair sticking out in every direction.

“You act like a damn child, so I’m gonna call you a damn child.” Sam chuckled, walking backwards slowly back towards the room that he shared with his brother. He watched as Keila attempted to pat her hair back down, before giving up and heading towards her own room, that was three down from theirs.

“You gonna come over and do some research with us?” Keila nodded her head slowly, as she slipped her key card into her door. She opened it, half her body in the room, before she called back to the youngest Winchester.

“Yeah, I’ll be over there in a minute.” She didn’t watch to see Sam’s response, the door closing soundly behind her. Now, that she was in the privacy of her own room, she closed her eyes, inhaling a breath, before exhaling and opening again. The sickly yellow color practically glowed in the room, but she didn’t care, she needed to release this built up energy that was inside of her, and the only way she could do that was to get away from the Winchester’s for a minute. She pulled the curtains back from her window, carefully peering down towards the hunter’s room. When she saw that the door was closed completely, she quietly opened her door, closing it as gently as she could, before she took off towards the far end of the parking lot, away from the boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special thanks to Bethany Washington, LittleWonderinWarrior, guest, FandomQueen10325, ann1ka05, Rubber_Souls, and Evangeline86 for the reviews and kudos. Thank y'all for your support in this story. Also, keep your eyes peeled for something new. I have a few ideas in my head that are dying to get out.

Black smoke slowly wafted into the air, swirling slowly before dissipating into the gray, cloudy sky. A lone figure stood in the middle of a wooded patch of land, a mile or two away from probing eyes. Yellow eyes danced over the charring tree that laid in front of them, ancient symbol burnt into the decaying trunk. A quick blink of the eye, and yellow turns into a honey brown, before the person slowly drops to their knees, wet spots forming from the soggy ground. Dark hair falls like a curtain, hiding the person’s face. Shoulders rise and fall with deep, uneven breaths, a ragged wheeze breaking past chapped lips.

“You know, this is very dangerous.” Eyes snap open, honey transforming into yellow, an erratic sweep over the area surrounding them. They land on another lone figure, seemingly materializing from nowhere, tan trench coat barely skirting dark slack and piercing blue eyes delving deep.

“Ca-Castiel?” The angel cocked his head slightly, staring at the woman who was kneeling on the ground. She looks _tired_ , dark hair falling freely around her shoulders, slightly frizzy from the moisture in the air. Her sickly yellow eyes were edged in black, dark circles forming underneath her eyes. Lips slightly turned down in a frown, chapped from excessive licking and not enough moisture. Her body sagged, elbows resting on the tops of her denim-cladded thighs, practically sinking into the ground.

Castiel made no movement, just staring down at Keila. She didn’t even bother trying to hide her _true_ eyes from him. He knew what she really was, _who she really was_ , so what was the point of even trying? She groaned as she rocked back onto her heels, knees popping as she slowly rose to her feet. She wobbled slightly, off-balance momentarily, before she dusted the wet soil off her knees and looked back towards the angel.

“What are you doing here?” Azure eyes never left her body, slowly tracing her form, before narrowing in on her soul that shined behind her rib cage. Castiel was always mesmerized when he saw the souls of his Father’s creation, but Keila’s always made his host’s heart beat erratically. It was beautiful, in all its dark and twisted beauty.

“You should not be using your powers so close to the Winchesters.” Keila stared back at Castiel, apprehensive and slightly uncomfortable from his probing eyes. She didn’t know if it was a common thing amongst angels, but his unwavering gaze caused her heart to tighten ever so slightly.

“I’m far enough away so that they won’t know. Why…? You never answered my question.” Keila narrowed her eyes at the man, _being_ , before her. In the brief interactions that she had with the soldier, one thing was clear to Keila, _he was the master at changing the subject_.

Castiel’s eyes flickered away from her momentarily, before the honed back in on her. He took three long, quick strides before he was standing right in front of her, gazing down at her. Keila felt her body seize up with familiarity from their first encounter, in the woods, with an almighty being who could _smite her ass out of existence._

Castiel squinted at her momentarily, before she felt a niggling creeping along her temples and across her forehead. Her eyes widened slightly, before she locked her mind down. Instinctively, Keila raised her hand and slapped the angel in front of her _HARD_ on the shoulder.

“Quit doing that!” She hissed out to him, before she had even realized what she had done. She was pulling her hand back towards her, before had whipped out and gripped her wrist painfully. She struggled fruitlessly against the iron clad grip, eyes wide with fright as she stared up at the angel. Castiel just glared down at her, aqua eyes glowing with an unearthly glow. Keila could feel her power pulse underneath her skin at the show of dominance, but she tamped it down quickly. She was not in the mood for another show of ‘ _who’s dick is bigger’._

Castiel could feel the woman’s power fluctuate momentarily, before it quieted down. He felt his own grace pull back in as well, his grip on her wrist loosening. Keila gently tugged it away, rubbing her red wrist tenderly, before looking back towards the angel.

“I hate asking the same questions over and over again. Why are you here, Castiel?” The angel blinked at her owlishly, before speaking slowly.

“Maybe you should quit asking questions then.” Keila glared up at the angel, before a small smile broke across her face, followed by a quiet giggle. Castiel cocked his head at the woman again, dark eyebrow quirking slightly. Keila’s smile grew slightly, yellow eyes resting on his face.

“Was that you being sassy? I feel like that was you being sassy.” The look on the angel’s face caused another small fit of giggles to break free from Keila’s throat. Keila leaned forward slightly, her shoulder brushing the angel’s trench coat. She jolted back at the contact, eyes glossing over with fear. She relaxed when she saw the angel didn’t move in the slightest, and when she didn’t feel his powers spike.

Keila leaned back on her heels, dropping her tender wrist to her side and letting her eyes wander over the angel in front of her. Hell, if he could openly ogle her, then damnit so could she. She started at his feet, covered in scuffed black dress shoes. Her eyes slowly traveled up his dark tailored legs, taking in how they tightened ever so slightly over his thighs. Her eyed danced over the silver buckle that poked out, before continued up the wrinkled white shirt, a blue tie that was crooked and loosened around his neck. She noted how his adam’s apple bobbed behind his tanned throat, all the way up to his five’ o clock shadow and plump pink lips. The locked with his cerulean eyes, squinting ever so slightly, before taking in his dark disheveled hair.

The angel was downright _attractive, and it was a SIN_.

Keila let out an airy sigh, before she glanced back down at the rotten tree that lay smoldering on the ground. She felt her powers flutter, aching to be released again as she stared down at the tree. Sucking in a deep breath, Keila mentally counted to ten in her head, before exhaling slowly. She could feel her powers pull inwards, reeling back. Castiel watched on silently, watching the woman work her powers over calmly. To any normal person, it would appear that she was just mediating, but to Castiel, he could see the way she contorted her powers, reigning them in.

“What are you doing out here?” Keila’s eyes snapped over to the angel, who was still standing stock still in front of her. She let out a silent huff, rolling her shoulders to relieve some of the tension that was built up in them.

“I needed to release some energy. It was buildin’ up and I didn’t wanna do anything stupid around Sam and Dean.” She didn’t know why she felt the need to tell the angel everything, but Keila felt it would be pointless lying to the angel. She felt that he would somehow know if she was lying anyway.

“This would be because you used your powers on Dean, yes?” Keila startled when the angel spoke, eyes wide. How did he…?

As if reading her mind, which he might have been, but Keila didn’t feel him knocking at her mental door, Castiel gave her a small smirk, an almost smile.

“I have been keeping tabs on the three of you.” Keila’s stomach dropped at the thought. He’s been keeping tabs on them? On all _three of them?_ Keila opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. Her brows creased, nose scrunching up slightly at the revelation.

“…what all have you seen?” Keila glanced nervously at the angel. She knew that he had powers that she couldn’t even fathom, but the thought of someone _watching her every move_ , it set her on edge.

_It reminded her too much of her father._

“I know the basics. About the hunt with the ‘monsters’- “Castiel shrugged as he spoke, but Keila grimaced at the thought. She purposely erased that hunt from her mind, she couldn’t stop the wave of jealously that rolled through her body when Dean-

“-the spirit sickness that Dean had experienced, you actively removing the hallucinations that he had about you. It is in heaven’s keen interest to make sure that all goes according to God’s plan.” Keila deadpanned at the angel in front of her, anger spiking slightly. She didn’t like feeling like a tool, being used by someone else for their own gain.

“I don’t like that.” Castiel’s brow quirked as the woman spoke, her voice clipped. She sounded…annoyed? Mad, perhaps? Castiel was still struggling to get a grasp on humans and how their emotions worked, he was still working on it.

“You seem upset by this revelation. Why?” Keila rolled her eyes at the angel, huffing out a breath and scrubbing her booted foot into the soft soil.

“Why didn’t you help?” Castiel stared at Keila, eyes focused in on her like a hawk. She didn’t stand down or look away, squaring her shoulders and staring back at the angel with an intense fire in her eyes.

“I knew that you could handle it.” Keila felt something bloom in her heart for a brief second, before she quickly smothered it. She felt the corner of her lip quirk, before it fell again, and she watched the angel.

He was tall. She felt that every person she had met was tall, like taller than normal. Sam was a giant, Dean was still just as tall, and the angel that was standing in front of her was pushing 6 feet as well. She felt like a dwarf.

“I have full faith in your abilities to not only protect the Winchesters, but to also not jeopardize yourself with your powers.” Keila was pulled out of her thoughts when the angel spoke to her. She stared at him, confused.

“What are you talking about?” It was Castiel who rolled his eyes this time. Keila felt a small smirk grace her lips, maybe he saw too much of her. Even with their brief encounters, it was enough for some of her human characteristics to rub off on him.

“How did you think I knew where you were? I could feel your aura pulsating for miles. Every supernatural creature, and hunter, could probably feel it.” Keila felt a cold sweat break across her body. She didn’t know what to say, how to feel. He could feel her power? She understood what he meant, she could feel his power like a cold ocean wave right now, rolling over and around him, but it was only limited to small space.

“It’s not that strong…” Keila was in disbelief. There’s _no way_ her power was that strong. Now, she’s not stupid, she knew that she was strong. But, _she wasn’t strong enough to alert anybody_. The angel reached out and grasped her shoulder, gripping it tightly. Keila looked up at the blue orbs that were glaring at her.

“I could _sense_ it, Keila. I do not need you getting into harm’s way.” Keila stared up at the angel shocked, her mouth open slightly. She nervously darted her tongue across her lower lip, blue eyes watching it intently, before returning to her eyes. Did…did he just…?

Castiel released Keila’s shoulder, hand tracing down the length of her arm, past her elbow, and tenderly fingering her sore wrist. He wrapped his fingers around her wrist, before a cool sensation washed over it, followed quickly by a short burning one. Keila sucked in a breath, glancing down at her wrist, which was no longer red or sore. She looked back up towards the angel, who was staring at her, unblinking.

“I am sorry for causing you pain and discomfort. That was not my intention. Upon watching you, I see that this is how you show affection and comfort.” Keila felt her heats burn with embarrassment, words falling out of her mouth with no coherency. She nearly balked when she heard a deep rumble come from the angel in front of her, a low laugh getting caught in his throat.

He glanced towards the tree trunk laying beside them, trunk decorating in intricate marks and ruins. Letting out a quiet sigh, he looked back towards the woman. He felt something tug minutely in his chest, before he brushed it away.

“You need to be careful with your powers. The Winchesters do not need to know of your capabilities. Not yet.” And, just like that, he was gone. Keila didn’t even blink, just watched him blip out of existence. She sat there for a moment, staring at the space that the angel inhabited, before looking down at the tree. She took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly, before turning on her heel, exiting the area as if nothing had happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and constructive criticism is always appreciated.


End file.
